Paycom Center (formerly Chesapeake Arena)

[Laramie]

No worries. It would’ve been more clear if one of my posts didn’t disappear a couple days ago.

Thought the same thing about what I thought was one of my missing posts; just forget to hit the submit button.

[Rover]

That looks... not great.

I hope you are trying to be funny. Everyone realizes what this is and it's not a finished product. Good grief.

[bombermwc]

I'm still underwhelmed by "Paycom Center". With all the money they are raking in, surely they could have come up with something more interesting.....

Let's see, let's call it the Payhouse, Payroll Center, HR Office, Playhouse (cause why not), The Com, ComCen,

But in seriousness, with so many different synonyms out there, why "center"? Paycom Square, Paycom Grounds, Paycom Coliseum, etc.

[Bellaboo]

Okay, how about Paycom Centre. ?

[WheelerD Guy]

I'm still underwhelmed by "Paycom Center". With all the money they are raking in, surely they could have come up with something more interesting.....

Let's see, let's call it the Payhouse, Payroll Center, HR Office, Playhouse (cause why not), The Com, ComCen,

But in seriousness, with so many different synonyms out there, why "center"? Paycom Square, Paycom Grounds, Paycom Coliseum, etc.

90% of NBA facilities are either arena or center. And the ones with “forum” are only because the alliteration makes the moniker work.

Also important to remember that Paycom isn’t a consumer facing brand. They are marketing to HR departments, CFOs and other C-Suite types. There’s no upside in being edgy with the branding.

[Laramie]

First time Paycom has taken on a naming rights deal of this size. As usual, everyone has preferences: Paycom Palace, Paycom Center or Paycom Arena.

Heard that it's not as big as the previous one with Chesapeake Energy; however Paycom did step up to the plate. The Thunder approved this deal.

We don't know at this point how many companies were involved in bidding on naming-rights.

Did the Thunder select Paycom over lets say a Loves Travel Stops, Continental Resources, Hobby Lobby or the Chickasaw Tribe. Who don't know any information on all who submitted bids at this time.

[HOT ROD]

Or Velveeta, or Sonic, or Devon, or Express, or WeGoLook, or Amazon, or Alaska Airlines, or ...?

[Irishman23]

How about Come Pay Center since that's what happens when you go to a sporting event or concert these days. $9.00 12 ounce beers, good grief.

[Laramie]

Paycom Center

CNBC - NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder arena will be called Paycom Center in 15-year deal: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/27/nba-...year-deal.html

The article mentioned the deal doesn't surpass the $100 million deal with Chesapeake Energy; also cites the naming rights deal for the New Orleans Superdome, Phoenix Suns & Miami Heat arenas.

[WheelerD Guy]

How about Come Pay Center since that's what happens when you go to a sporting event or concert these days. $9.00 12 ounce beers, good grief.

+1. I’d rather sit on my porch at Wheeler and pound Clubbies!

[HOT ROD]

$100m (max)/15 years is significantly > $3m per year Chesapeake paid.

If it's less than $100m *but close enough since that figure was mentioned, then one would assume it would be far > than $3m a year, likely double that at $6m per year or $90m for the contract.

These were in the same ballpark as the other naming rights in the article.

[bombermwc]

90% of NBA facilities are either arena or center. And the ones with “forum” are only because the alliteration makes the moniker work.

Also important to remember that Paycom isn’t a consumer facing brand. They are marketing to HR departments, CFOs and other C-Suite types. There’s no upside in being edgy with the branding.

I get that, the name they chose is just boring and will fade into nothingness along with other non-creative names. Just a ZZzzzzz kind of name. Yeah, they might get more hits as people google to find out what the heck Paycom is. But like you said, HR departments and CEOs already know. So advertising on an arena isn't going to help from that angle. They wouldn't do this if they didn't think it either A-got some some sort of advertising angle or B-made them feel like a "bigger boy" on the corporate block. I don't care either way. I just was hoping for something more interesting and less generic.

We had a lot more interesting names for arenas before corporations slapped their bumper stickers all over them.

[chssooner]

I get that, the name they chose is just boring and will fade into nothingness along with other non-creative names. Just a ZZzzzzz kind of name. Yeah, they might get more hits as people google to find out what the heck Paycom is. But like you said, HR departments and CEOs already know. So advertising on an arena isn't going to help from that angle. They wouldn't do this if they didn't think it either A-got some some sort of advertising angle or B-made them feel like a "bigger boy" on the corporate block. I don't care either way. I just was hoping for something more interesting and less generic.

We had a lot more interesting names for arenas before corporations slapped their bumper stickers all over them.

Meh. People here would have pissed all over the Love Shack, or something unique like that. you are GREATLY over-estimating the importance of the arena name. Staples Center, Toyota Center, American Airlines Center, Amelie Center, United center, Moda Center. I don't think people in these cities care as much as you are about the name. Not bashing you.

[therhett17]

Wonder why they haven’t changed their name on Facebook yet?

[shawnw]

Wonder why they haven’t changed their name on Facebook yet?

It IS changed in the important ways, the URL and the "username". Because they have a blue checkmark, maybe there's some processing time associated with changing your name in order to keep your verification?

[Plutonic Panda]

From velocity:

https://www.velocityokc.com/blog/ins...ack=super_blog

[dankrutka]

All OKC Blue games will be played at the Paycom Center this season. That should really increase the number of nights the arena is used… even if it’s probably under a thousand folks at Blue games. Will this conflict with concert scheduling?

[dankrutka]

Oh, just read that 15 of those Blue games will be before Thunder games. Like around noon.

[chssooner]

All OKC Blue games will be played at the Paycom Center this season. That should really increase the number of nights the arena is used… even if it’s probably under a thousand folks at Blue games. Will this conflict with concert scheduling?

Fiar the OKC Blue scheduling director, amirite?

Likely yes, but for fewer games, since they have played on the same day in the past.

Edit: just saw you mentioned that. I am sure it will take a few nights away, but with concerts preferring the acoustics at BOK, this is fine, as they get more than a 1,000 a game, I believe.

[BoulderSooner]

but with concerts preferring the acoustics at BOK, this is fine

this has no basis in reality

[chssooner]

this has no basis in reality

It does when you look at the amount of major, younger tours that go to Tulsa vs OKC. They have a top 25 arena in the world for ticket sales. OKC does not. Has to be something to why more big-time shows go there.

[Plutonic Panda]

^^^ I really wonder how much of that is due to perception. I’ve said this before and caught flack here for saying it but my anecdotal experience when people from out of state talk about Oklahoma cities is Tulsa is the nicer city.

[kallio]

Originally from another state, I’ve lived in Tulsa for 10 years, and currently in OKC for the last 14 years. My perception was that Tulsa was more metropolitan and OKC was less of a city - it had the Western Heritage museum but nothing else?! That all changed with Bricktown, and everything else sprung up because of that. The Ballpark was amazing while Driller stadium was still at the crappy fairgrounds. The Ford Center was built and Tulsa still had nothing. Their politics was the big preventer of progress from what I saw. OKC has the NBA and Tulsa got the WNBA. Shoot, even the QuickTrip versus 7-11 Tulsa advantage all changed when OnCue came on the scene on OKC. Tulsa is still playing catch-up and their river area is mostly because of Jenks, not Tulsa. OKC overtook Tulsa between 10-15 years ago and still holds an edge.

[Laramie]

It does when you look at the amount of major, younger tours that go to Tulsa vs OKC. They have a top 25 arena in the world for ticket sales. OKC does not. Has to be something to why more big-time shows go there.

More dates are available for concerts in Tulsa than in OKC; there's more flexibility with scheduling in the BOK Center which doesn't have an NBA franchise to drain some of the entertainment dollars. Tulsa nestled between two major cities can attract from Wichita which is 175 miles and OKC is 106 miles.

BOK Center seating for concerts: Central stage: 19,199 - End stage Partial: 13,644 (565,000 square feet)
Paycom Center seating for concerts: Concerts: 16,591 (581,000-square-foot)

Tulsa BOK Center vs. Oklahoma City Paycom Center (doesn't include MAPS 4 - $104 million renovation:

BOK Center, Tulsa, 13,644


BOK Center, Tulsa, 19,199




Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, 16,591

There are 17,343 fixed seats, each ranging from 20 inches (51 cm) to 22 inches (56 cm) wide—an average width greater than the industry standard, including that of Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City. Actual capacity fluctuates with configuration patterns, and total seating can vary from 13,644 to 19,199—13,644 for partial-use concerts, 16,582 for arena football, 17,096 for hockey, 17,839 for basketball, and 19,199 for center stage concerts. The bowl area's second floor, an exclusive carpeted level with a complete bar, houses press areas and 37 luxury suites, each with 15 22-inch (56 cm) seats and furnished gathering and kitchen areas.

Box Center has 37 Luxury Suites
Paycom Center has 50 Luxury Boxes

[PhiAlpha]

It does when you look at the amount of major, younger tours that go to Tulsa vs OKC. They have a top 25 arena in the world for ticket sales. OKC does not. Has to be something to why more big-time shows go there.

Well assuming it is the acoustics in an arena of all things was a heck of a wild swing at making a crazy guess as to why lol.