Paycom Center (formerly Chesapeake Arena)

[SkyWestOKC]

Congrats to CHK and the Thunder!

[jbrown84]

Doesn't quite roll off the tongue like Ford Center, but it's better than "Oklahoma City Arena". Clearly this is Aubrey's way of competing with Devon and Sandridge for downtown dominance lol.

[betts]

I'm glad they left the word "Energy" off the sign. It's fine to call it that if they want, but it would look awkward up on the arena.

[iMAX386]

"Energy" is actually on there...it's in blue under Chesapeake...you can barely see it in that tiny photo.

[jbrown84]

I don't mind the way they did that logo. It emphasizes Chesapeake Arena, which is more concise.

[betts]

Oh well.

[ljbab728]

Which reminds of the Southwestern Bell Bricktown Ballpark. The Southwestern Bell part basically got ignored eventually. I'm sure it will be referred to as the Chesapeake Arena.

[Larry OKC]

Hmmm, does this mean that the Ford Center...Oklahoma City Arena...Chesapeake Energy Arena will convert over to natural gas power? LOL

Finally a new rendering...notice that they don't have the big video board, so has it been officially scuttled?

[blangtang]

anything to get that frackin story off their back. And this, in the face of an NBA season that could not be...HMM.

[Thunder]

The name sucks.

Oklahoma City Arena sounds so much better.

Hell, we are all still calling it the Thunderdome. Even the Ford Center, so screw Chesapeake.

Btw... Chesapeake... does the first part of pronounce sounds like...cheap? Cheap-a-peake or Cheap-peake.

Why can't Devon bid on this? :-(

Devon Thunderdome <<< Lovely.

[shawnw]

Well, they fooled me. I did not think either CHK or DVN would end up with the naming rights.

So now the question... nicknames? Let's rule out "The Gas Chamber" straight away... what else have we got?

[shawnw]

Oh, and it will be interesting to see how they fit "Chesapeake Energy Arena" in the place of "Ford Center" in the rendering pictured in post #313.


Edit: Nevermind. Just saw the dedicated thread with the new rendering.

[mcca7596]

You know, after paying more attention to construction photos, the new main entrance itself will face Robinson just as much as the boulevard. I think that it will look awesome and people will be congregating on that side sooner than we think.

[UnFrSaKn]

Oklahoma City Arena to be renamed Chesapeake Energy Arena

It will be "Chesapeake Energy Arena".

[kevinpate]

so much for that bank idea. this isn't terrible, not at all.

[plmccordj]

I remember people complaining about the name Thunder. Good names versus bad are all subjective and not anything to worry about. Soon it will sound as normal as any other arena. I am happy we finally have a name.

[dcsooner]

The name sucks.

Oklahoma City Arena sounds so much better.

Hell, we are all still calling it the Thunderdome. Even the Ford Center, so screw Chesapeake.

Btw... Chesapeake... does the first part of pronounce sounds like...cheap? Cheap-a-peake or Cheap-peake.

Why can't Devon bid on this? :-(

Devon Thunderdome <<< Lovely.

Are you Crazy?

[Bill Robertson]

Are you Crazy?

He has entertainment value.

And for the name. It's OK. It had to be one of the energy companies or banks so Chesapeake is a good as any other.

[betts]

If we didn't have an arena sponsor, the folks up in Seattle would say OKC is too "small town" to even pull in naming rights and that the team will never survive here. That's a small part of what happened in New Orleans, where they still haven't sold naming rights. Having a name, no matter whether we like it or not, is good for the team. It adds a little bit of financial cushion when times are bad. And times will be bad. Again, I hope the owners are paying off as much debt as they can during the fat years, because the lean years will come.

If I were a stockholder, considering what companies spend on advertising, I'd say having my name on every sports announcers lips anytime the Thunder are televised is probably pretty cheap advertising. If we make the playoffs, Chesapeake Energy Arena will be heard around the world.

[bombermwc]

It definitely doesn't roll off the tongue well. I was actually hoping they'd come up with something that didn't involve the word Arena. You can be so much more clever and creative with names...Chespeake Colliseum, Gardens, even Center, Palace, etc. Arena just always makes me thing small fry because of the fair grounds Arena.

But hey, i'm glad that's all settled and we finally have a name. Even if it's not the most exciting one ever, at least it's there.

[Just the facts]

I like the name and it gives Chesapeake a visual presence in an area with a high concentration of companies in its industry. That is something they otherwise wouldn't have. I also think the $3 million per year is at the high end of the naming rights spectrum so this will be good for the team.

[Rover]

Chesapeake advertises nationally and has a "brand" beyond OKC. Naming like "Mid First Arena" or BOK Center would have sounded too regionalized and small town. Glad one of the national names took it.

[energy_savior]

Devon wouldn't ever spend this much money because they are a conservative and prudent company. CHK likes to alienate their shareholders by throwing money in every which direction and getting involved in a variety of companies/industies outside their professional expertise. It makes little sense outside of Aubrey who stands to gain a lot from all the side businesses within CHK that they are required to utilize even though they are often more expensive and provide less quality.

[Swake2]

Chesapeake advertises nationally and has a "brand" beyond OKC. Naming like "Mid First Arena" or BOK Center would have sounded too regionalized and small town. Glad one of the national names took it.

BOk is the largest bank based in Oklahoma and is major regional financial company with operations in 10 states, but sure, valid point.

[Jesseda]

Im just going to it The THUNDERDOME