Paycom Center is the downtown Oklahoma City arena that has served as home to the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder since the team relocated from Seattle in 2008. Opened on June 8, 2002 as the Ford Center, the venue was built as the centerpiece of the city’s original MAPS (Metropolitan Area Projects) redevelopment initiative, a public investment program that transformed downtown Oklahoma City.
Over its history the arena has carried several names, including Oklahoma City Arena and Chesapeake Energy Arena, before payroll and HR technology company Paycom acquired naming rights in 2021. The venue hosted the 2012 NBA Finals between the Thunder and Miami Heat and remains one of the loudest, most tightly packed arenas in the league.
Quick Answer
Paycom Center is an 18,203-seat (for basketball) downtown arena at 100 W. Reno Ave. in Oklahoma City that has been the home of the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder since 2008. It opened in 2002 as the Ford Center, was renamed Chesapeake Energy Arena in 2011, and took the Paycom Center name in 2021. It hosted the 2012 NBA Finals and continues to host Thunder games, concerts, and family shows.
From Ford Center to Paycom Center
The arena broke ground in May 1999 and opened in June 2002 as the Ford Center, part of the original MAPS program that funded a wave of downtown Oklahoma City civic projects at a construction cost of roughly $89 million. It briefly hosted the New Orleans Hornets for two seasons after Hurricane Katrina displaced that franchise in 2005, which helped demonstrate the city’s readiness for a permanent NBA team.
When the Thunder (formerly the Seattle SuperSonics) relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008, the building became the team’s permanent home. The venue was briefly called Oklahoma City Arena in 2010–2011 after Ford’s naming rights lapsed, then carried the Chesapeake Energy Arena name from 2011 to 2021. Payroll and HR software company Paycom, headquartered in the Oklahoma City area, signed a naming rights deal in 2021 that runs through the Thunder’s eventual move to a planned new downtown arena later this decade. A roughly $121 million city-funded upgrade in the years after 2008 added suites and improved dining and video systems, and the arena got a new scoreboard and wraparound video display in 2023.
Capacity and Seating
Paycom Center seats about 18,203 fans for Thunder basketball games, with the lower bowl pulled close to the court, a design that has made it one of the NBA’s most intense home environments for visiting teams. Capacity shifts for other configurations: roughly 15,152 for hockey, about 16,591 for concerts, and around 16,757 for wrestling, boxing, or MMA events, since the seating bowl and floor setup change for each type of show.
The arena is laid out in three main tiers: a lower bowl (100-level) closest to the action, a 200-level club tier with in-arena dining access, and a 300-level upper bowl that still offers clean sightlines thanks to a tight, vertical bowl design. The building has also hosted the Oklahoma City Blazers (minor-league hockey, now defunct) and the NBA G League’s Oklahoma City Blue alongside the Thunder.
Planning Your Visit: Tickets, Parking & Location
Paycom Center sits at 100 W. Reno Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73102, in the Bricktown-adjacent downtown core, with the box office located just off West Reno Avenue between Robinson and E.K. Gaylord. Thunder games, concerts, and family shows are sold through Ticketmaster and the venue’s own ticketing pages, with pricing tiers that run from upper-bowl seats up through lower-bowl and courtside/club packages — exact pricing varies by event and is set closer to each on-sale date.
Downtown Oklahoma City offers multiple parking garages and surface lots within a short walk of the arena, plus metered street parking and rideshare drop-off zones near the main entrances; the venue’s site has a dedicated parking and transportation guide for event-day specifics. Box office hours typically expand on event days and are shorter on non-event days, so it’s worth checking before a trip. For current event schedules, ticket on-sale dates, parking maps, and box office hours, see the official Paycom Center website.
Notable Events at Paycom Center
The building’s signature moment came in June 2012, when it hosted the NBA Finals as the Thunder faced the Miami Heat, cementing Oklahoma City’s arrival as a major professional sports market just four years after the franchise relocated there. The arena has also hosted NCAA Tournament basketball games, including first- and second-round games in 2010 and 2016, with the NCAA Tournament returning to the venue again in 2026, as well as the 2007 Big 12 Men’s Basketball Tournament.
Beyond basketball, Paycom Center regularly hosts major touring concerts, family shows, and other live entertainment, with the arena’s sound and sightlines tuned for both sports and arena-scale performances.
Photos
Sized to the NFL's 12x6x12 clear-bag rule. Fits snacks, a jacket and a rally towel.
A see-through purse that looks like a purse. Works for most stadium, arena and concert bag policies.
Bleachers for three hours, but with back support. Folds flat and clips to the bench.
Paycom Center FAQs
What team plays at Paycom Center?
The Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA have played their home games at Paycom Center since 2008, and the NBA G League’s Oklahoma City Blue also use the arena.
What was Paycom Center previously called?
The arena opened in 2002 as the Ford Center, was briefly known as Oklahoma City Arena in 2010–2011, then became Chesapeake Energy Arena from 2011 to 2021 before taking the Paycom Center name in 2021.
How many people does Paycom Center hold?
Paycom Center seats about 18,203 people for basketball games. Capacity is roughly 15,152 for hockey, about 16,591 for concerts, and around 16,757 for wrestling, boxing, or MMA events.
Where is Paycom Center located?
Paycom Center is at 100 W. Reno Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73102, in downtown Oklahoma City, with the box office located off West Reno Avenue between Robinson and E.K. Gaylord.
Where can I buy Paycom Center tickets?
Tickets for Thunder games, concerts, and other events are sold through Ticketmaster and the arena’s own ticketing pages; current listings, on-sale dates, and pricing are posted on the official Paycom Center website.
Is there parking near Paycom Center?
Yes — downtown Oklahoma City has several parking garages and surface lots within walking distance of the arena, along with metered street parking and designated rideshare drop-off areas near the main entrances.
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