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61-675: The building was unique in that it had the largest roof of its type in the world. It is the second largest city-owned multi-purpose arena, after Paycom Center , and it has the largest impact for a publicly owned facility in Oklahoma City. It was home to the Oklahoma City Blazers of the CHL from 1965 to 1972. It was also home to the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association 's National Finals Rodeo from 1965 to 1978, when

122-453: A "state-of-the-art" facility, Oklahoma City Arena was actually constructed to minimum NBA and NHL specifications. The arena was built without luxury amenities because of local concerns about expenditures on an arena without a major-league tenant, with the ability to create "buildout" amenities and improvements to the arena if a professional sports team announced it would relocate to the city. A plan for such buildout improvements began in 2007 in

183-515: A 1,576-square-foot (146.4 m ) "Irish Pub" themed bar, and at The Courtside Club, a 6,198-square-foot (575.8 m ) restaurant and lounge area, as well as at the Victory Club, Sunset Carvery, and the new Terrace Lounges. On March 4, 2008, the citizens of Oklahoma City passed a $ 121.6 million initiative designed to renovate and expand the Paycom Center and to build a practice facility for

244-491: A debt of $ 9 billion, with the effect on the arena's naming rights not then known. However, on April 20, 2021, the company terminated the deal as part of its corporate restructuring. The arena retained its name during the Thunder's search for a new sponsor. On July 27, 2021, it was announced that Paycom would acquire the naming rights for the arena for a 15-year period, renaming it Paycom Center. Basketball seating capacity at

305-595: A future NBA team, either by relocation or expansion . The Paycom Center is owned by the City of Oklahoma City and was opened on June 8, 2002, three years after construction began. The original Ford Center name came from a naming rights deal with the Oklahoma Ford Dealers group which represented the marketing efforts of the state's Ford dealerships , rather than the Ford Motor Company itself. The facility

366-453: A generous expansion draft, the team defied all odds and advanced to the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals in their first year of existence, and later won the 2023 Stanley Cup Finals in just their sixth season. The National Football League (NFL), despite being considered the most generous in its revenue sharing and the strictest with its salary cap, has had far more difficulty bringing expansion teams up to par with their more established brethren. Of

427-491: A number of games and events from Oklahoma City University , the University of Oklahoma , and Oklahoma State University along with those from local high schools and post-secondary organizations. It is also used for other events, including major concert tours, conventions, National Hockey League preseason and exhibition games, and notably professional wrestling shows. It hosted the 2007 Big 12 men's basketball tournament for

488-529: A policy that the league as of 2017 has no intention of stopping. Cities and regions with large populations that lack a team are generally regarded to be the best candidates for new teams. In rugby league , the United Kingdom-based Rugby Football League 's Super League has added teams from France and Wales to cover a great demographic spread. The operator of Super League, England's Rugby Football League , has also added teams to

549-492: A potential franchise in the UK , with a target date some time in the early to mid-2020s. When an expansion team begins play, it is generally stocked with less talented free agents , inexperienced players, and veterans nearing retirement. Additionally, prospective owners may face expensive fees to the league as well as high startup costs such as stadiums and facilities. The team is also at a disadvantage in that it has not been together as

610-471: A practice court, media broadcast facilities, lighting, and sound, an NBA press room, an onsite NBA and team store, and ticket/staff rooms. It is anticipated that the Oklahoma City Thunder team will lease the new office space. Renovation work on the arena was delayed due to a sales tax receipt shortfall during the 2008–10 economic crisis; eventual tax receipts totaled $ 103.5 million rather than

671-602: A provision that gave Seattle officials one year to solve its arena situation or allow Bennett to seek relocation. After an April 2008 league approval, it was announced on July 2, 2008, that the Sonics franchise would be relocating to Oklahoma City and would play at what was then the Ford Center. The agreement retires the "SuperSonics" moniker, color, and logos, possibly to be used by a future NBA team in Seattle. On September 2, 2008,

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732-661: A sports venue in Oklahoma is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article related to Oklahoma City is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Paycom Center Paycom Center (originally known as the Ford Center from 2002 to 2010, Oklahoma City Arena from 2010 to 2011, and Chesapeake Energy Arena from 2011 to 2021) is an arena located in Downtown Oklahoma City , Oklahoma , United States. It opened in 2002 and since 2008 has served as

793-518: A sports venue, Paycom Center hosts concerts, family and social events, conventions, ice shows, and civic events. The arena is owned by the city and operated by the SMG property management company and has 18,203 seats in the basketball configuration, 15,152 for hockey, and can seat up to 16,591 for concerts. From 2005 to 2007, the arena also served as the temporary home for the New Orleans Hornets of

854-537: A team as long as its opponents and thus lacks the cohesiveness other teams have built over years. As a result, most expansion teams are known for their poor play during their first seasons. Expansion teams must also compete with any expansion rivals for available talent, a common problem since leagues often expand by two or four teams in one season. Expansion teams are not necessarily doomed to mediocrity, however, as most leagues have policies which promote parity, such as drafts and salary caps, which give some expansion teams

915-482: Is a new team in a sports league, usually from a city that has not hosted a team in that league before, formed with the intention of satisfying the demand for a local team from a population in a new area. Sporting leagues also hope that the expansion of their competition will grow the popularity of the sport generally. The term is most commonly used in reference to the North American major professional sports leagues but

976-528: Is applied to sports leagues in other countries with a closed franchise system of league membership. The term refers to the expansion of the sport into new areas. The addition of an expansion team sometimes results in the payment of an expansion fee to the league by the new team and an expansion draft to populate the new roster. In North America, expansion often takes place in response to population growth and geographic shifts of population. Such demographic change results in financial opportunities to engage with

1037-604: Is done so that the history of the team stays with the original city, to be assumed a few years later by a revival of the franchise after a period of inactivity. The league expands in the season corresponding to the original franchise's revival, and holds an expansion draft for the revived franchise. For examples, see the notes below on the NFL 's Baltimore Ravens (relocated in 1996 from the Cleveland Browns , which were revived in 1999), NBA 's New Orleans Pelicans (relocated in 2002 from

1098-481: Is located across the street from the current arena. In December 2023 the city notified Prairie Surf Studios that its lease would not be renewed when it expires on December 31, 2025. Once the new arena has opened, the Paycom Center will likely be converted to some other type of property. Paycom Center is served by the Oklahoma City Streetcar at Arena station . Expansion team An expansion team

1159-482: Is not an expansion team. If it moves, it is known as a relocated team , and if the name changes, the team is known as a renamed team . Relocated teams may change their name, colors, and mascot at the same time as the move; however, because the roster is the same and the league does not expand as a result, they are not regarded as expansion teams. A handful of franchise relocations are officially recognized by their respective leagues as creation of expansion franchises; this

1220-405: Is slated to open no later than the opening of the 2029-30 NBA season, and the Thunder have committed to remain in Oklahoma City for 25 years following their move into the new arena. The site of the new arena has not been chosen, but one possible location is already owned by the city. It is the current site of Prairie Surf Studios (formerly Cox Convention Center and Myriad Convention Center), and it

1281-688: The 1969 draft and acquiring Oscar Robertson from the Cincinnati Royals before the 1970–71 season began. In the NHL, the Florida Panthers made the Stanley Cup Finals in their third season even though, like MLB, the league then had no salary cap; a cap was established in 2005. However, the Vegas Golden Knights quickly emerged as one of the NHL's best teams in its first season. Thanks to

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1342-748: The Charlotte Hornets , which were revived in 2004 and were initially named the Charlotte Bobcats), and NHL 's Utah Hockey Club (relocated from the Arizona Coyotes in 2024, revival of the Coyotes expected in 2029). The National League had an eight-team lineup established in 1900, mirrored by the eight charter franchises of the American League in 1901. This list enumerates franchises added since this "Classic Eight" era. Eight charter franchises of

1403-540: The Los Angeles Sparks , New York Liberty , Phoenix Mercury , and Utah Starzz (now Las Vegas Aces ). AFL Women's, launched in 2017 with 8 teams, is operated by the Australian Football League, with all teams fielded by AFL clubs. The league expanded to 10 teams prior to the 2019 season and 14 prior to the 2020 season. In 2023, the remaining four AFL clubs launched women's sides. Originally known as

1464-516: The AFL of the 1960s were expansion teams in that league. Both joined the AFL after the merger with the NFL was agreed to, but before it was finalized. The NHL had a six-team lineup established in 1942. This list enumerates the teams added since the " Original Six " era. Six of the seven charter franchises from 2018 remain active. The WNBA began in 1997 with eight charter franchises, four of which are still active:

1525-655: The Hornets arguably gave Oklahoma City the edge it needed to land on the radar of professional sports. Long being considered by many as too small to host a major-league team for a variety of reasons, support for the Hornets during their two-year stay caught the attention of the NBA and other sports leagues. Attendance for Hornets games at the Paycom Center (then known as the Ford Center) averaged 18,716 fans in 2005–06 (36 games) and 17,951 fans (35 games) in 2006–07. David Stern

1586-611: The NBA (founded in 1950 via merger of the BAA and NBL ) are still active. There was only one expansion team in the whole history of the ABA. Only extant teams are listed. Two charter franchises, the Chicago Cardinals (now Arizona Cardinals ) and Decatur Staleys (now the Chicago Bears ), are still active. Starting in 1960, the NFL held an expansion draft for new franchises. Two teams from

1647-486: The NBA when the Hornets were forced to play games elsewhere following extensive damage to New Orleans Arena and the city of New Orleans from Hurricane Katrina . During the two seasons in Oklahoma City, the team was known as the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets. The response from fans while the Hornets played in Oklahoma City was an impetus to the city being discussed prior to 2008 for the location of

1708-511: The NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. After the city of New Orleans , and surrounding area was devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the NBA reached a deal with the City of Oklahoma City which allowed the New Orleans Hornets franchise to temporarily move to the Paycom Center (then known as the Ford Center). The New Orleans Hornets leased the facility for the 2005–06 season and exercised

1769-532: The Oklahoma Ford Dealers, it was announced that the arena would be called the Oklahoma City Arena . The new name was used temporarily until naming rights were settled. On July 22, 2011, a 12-year naming rights partnership between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Chesapeake Energy Corporation was announced. The agreement had an initial annual cost of $ 3 million with a 3% annual escalation. As part of

1830-399: The Oklahoma Ford Dealers; however, a new agreement could not be reached. As a result of the failed negotiation with the Oklahoma Ford Dealers, the Thunder decided to terminate the existing naming rights agreement, which was allowed under the original contract. On October 21, 2010, because of the ongoing negotiation for the naming rights for the arena, and because of its failed negotiation with

1891-417: The Sonics franchise to Oklahoma City and the Ford Center. The deal included a provision for $ 1.6 million in annual rents to the city for use of the Ford Center (including marketing rights of luxury seating areas for all NBA and most non-NBA events), and a $ 409,000 annual supplemental payment in exchange for a transfer of arena naming rights and associated revenue to the Sonics franchise. The franchise move

Jim Norick Arena - Misplaced Pages Continue

1952-411: The arena has adjusted with the venue configuration: The 581,000-square-foot (54,000 m ) facility seats up to 19,711 on three seating levels with a fourth added during concerts and features 3,380 club seats, seven party suites, and 49 private suites. It also features The OLD NO. 7 Club, a full-service restaurant and bar. Several other exclusive dining options are also available at The Pub,

2013-725: The arena is used during the Oklahoma State Fair to host Disney on Ice and the state fair rodeo. It is also the venue for the Oklahoma small school state basketball tournaments, school graduations, and various other equine events through the year. Construction on a new $ 85 million coliseum to replace the Norick Arena is scheduled to begin in September 2022, after which the old arena will be demolished. 35°28′14″N 97°34′24″W  /  35.470604°N 97.573438°W  / 35.470604; -97.573438 This article about

2074-580: The arena on January 12, 2013, with the Strikeforce: Champions event. The Professional Bull Riders (PBR) held a Premier Series event at the venue from 2002 through 2006, and again from 2009 through 2022. In 2007 and 2008, the PBR's Challenger Tour Finals event was held there. In 2022 and 2023, Paycom Center was the home venue of the PBR's Oklahoma Freedom during the PBR Team Series season held in

2135-405: The city election ballot on March 4, 2008. This initiative was passed by a 62% to 38% margin, and extended a prior one-cent sales tax for 15 months to fund $ 121 million in budgeted improvements to the arena, as well as fund a separate practice facility for a relocated franchise. Subsequent to the ballot initiative, City officials and Sonics ownership announced a preliminary agreement to move

2196-584: The conclusion of that night's games. This incident would eventually result in the cancellation of all sports events throughout North America and the rest of the world, as the COVID-19 outbreak had been declared as a pandemic by WHO earlier that day. The arena has hosted many WWE events such as Raw , SmackDown , and Unforgiven 2005 . Raw came to the Chesapeake Energy Arena on September 25, 2006, and March 1, 2010, with Cheech & Chong appearing as

2257-426: The deal, the arena was renamed Chesapeake Energy Arena. Also, Chesapeake Energy was allowed to place its branding throughout the building, on prominent premium places on the high-definition scoreboard, and on new state-of-the-art interior and exterior digital signs. Most of the new signs were in place before the start of the Thunder's 2011–12 season . The company filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy on June 28, 2020, with

2318-633: The evening's guest hosts . During the show on September 25, 2006, the opening of the show suffered a blackout, but lights were restored shortly after the night began. On September 16, 2009, the Ultimate Fighting Championship returned to Oklahoma with UFC Fight Night: Diaz vs. Guillard for the first time since UFC 4 , which was at the Expo Square Pavilion in Tulsa on December 16, 1994. A mixed martial arts event returned to

2379-598: The event was moved to the Myriad. Even in the early years of the Professional Bull Riders , the Bud Light Cup held a few events from 1999 to 2001, before it was moved to the Ford Center, now Paycom Center . Elvis Presley played here on November 16, 1970, to a sell out crowd of around 11,000. The Grateful Dead 's performance on October 19, 1973, was recorded and later released as Dick's Picks Volume 19 . Today,

2440-420: The existing franchises can pocket more revenue from expansion fees. Indoor American football leagues are notorious for doing so: the leagues can double the number of teams and have many new teams fail within a year or two. Major League Soccer , after spending most of its first decade of existence with relatively stable membership and struggling finances, adopted a policy of continuous expansion beginning in 2005,

2501-546: The first time in 2007 (with the 2007 Big 12 women's basketball tournament held across the street at Cox Convention Center ). The venue has hosted the NCAA Men's Basketball First and Second Round on several occasions (including 2010 and 2016 ) and is the permanent host of the All-College Basketball Classic. It hosted the 2009 Big 12 Conference Men's Basketball Tournament. In March 2014, the arena played host to

Jim Norick Arena - Misplaced Pages Continue

2562-451: The game in their 9th and 21st seasons of existence) playing in the game. In 1996 , the Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars each made it to their respective conference championship games in their second season in the league. Expansion teams are usually considered as such in their first season and sometimes in their second season. A team that moves to another location and/or changes its name

2623-713: The home venue for the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s Oklahoma City Thunder . Previously, the arena was home to the Oklahoma City Blazers of the Central Hockey League (CHL) from 2002 until the team folded in July 2009, and the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz of AF2 from 2004 to 2009 when the team moved to the Cox Convention Center (now Prairie Surf Studios) . In addition to its use as

2684-524: The last four games and the championship to the Heat. On March 11, 2020, a game between the Thunder and the Utah Jazz that was to be held at the arena was initially postponed after Jazz center Rudy Gobert was placed on the injury list due to an illness. After it was learned that Gobert tested positive for COVID-19 , the NBA announced that the remainder of the 2019–20 season would be suspended immediately following

2745-597: The lower levels of its league pyramid, specifically the Championship and League 1 , from both France and Wales, and most recently Canada . In rugby union , the competition originally known as the Celtic League and now as Pro14 , which began with sides only from the Celtic nations of Ireland , Scotland , and Wales, has added teams from Italy and more recently South Africa . The U.S.-based NFL has been laying groundwork for

2806-413: The measures that MLB took was to expand by four teams in 1961 and 1962. Over the past four decades, MLB expanded further, to its current 30-team membership. In the context of MLB, the term "expansion team" is also used to refer to any of the 14 teams enfranchised in the second half of the 20th century. Leagues that are new and/or financially struggling may also admit large numbers of expansion teams so that

2867-489: The new market as consumers of sports demand local teams to support. Major League Baseball (MLB) was limited to 16 teams located north and east of St. Louis, Missouri for the first half of the 20th century. During that time, the United States population doubled and expanded to the south and west. Rival interests explored the possibility of forming a rival league in the untapped markets. To forestall that possibility, one of

2928-471: The opportunity to win championships only a few years after their first season. In Major League Baseball (MLB) The Arizona Diamondbacks won the 2001 World Series in their fourth season, and the Florida Marlins won the 1997 World Series in their fifth season. In the NBA, The Milwaukee Bucks won the 1971 NBA Finals in their third year of existence, greatly helped by drafting Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in

2989-413: The option with the city to extend for the 2006–07 season. The arena acquired a $ 200,000 renovation (primarily to lighting and sound) as part of the Hornets' lease. During this time, the team was known as the "New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets", giving Oklahoma City credit for hosting the 'home team'. The Hornets played their last game in Oklahoma City on October 9, 2007, a preseason game. The hosting of

3050-408: The plans for the Thunder's separate practice facility, for a total cost savings of approximately $ 14 million. The Thunder's practice facility completion date was similarly pushed back to approximately March 2011. In September 2023, a new round of renovations came to the arena, including a new 28,000-pound scoreboard with wraparound video display that cost $ 7.5 million. The Paycom Center hosts

3111-420: The projected $ 121 million. The shortfall was accommodated by revising plans for certain features of the arena expansion project, including limiting the size of a new glass entryway, and eliminating a practice court planned for above the delivery entrance of the arena. Major construction work on the arena expansion was also delayed from the summer of 2010 to the summer of 2011. Similar revisions were made to

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3172-475: The refurbishment will turn the Paycom Center into a top-tier NBA facility. Some of the planned upgrades to the Paycom Center include upscale restaurants, clubs, additional suites (including so-called 'bunker suites'), office space, Kid's Zone, additional concessions, flooring upgrades, an integrated video and scoring system from Daktronics , view lounges, and upgraded 'general use' locker rooms. NBA specific amenities include 'NBA ONLY' locker rooms and facilities,

3233-462: The relocated Seattle SuperSonics team which is now known as the Oklahoma City Thunder. Financing consists of a temporary 15-month, 1-cent sales tax that will be paid by Oklahoma City residents and shoppers beginning January 1, 2009. The city held the temporary tax initiative in March 2008 to facilitate the relocation of the NBA's Seattle SuperSonics or another relocation franchise. It is expected that

3294-584: The six teams to have been added to the NFL since the AFL–NFL merger , the fastest turnaround between an inaugural season and the team's first Super Bowl victory was 27 seasons (the Tampa Bay Buccaneers , established in 1976, won Super Bowl XXXVII in the 2002 season); none of the four teams to hold expansion drafts since 1995 have ever won that contest, with only one, the Carolina Panthers (who reached

3355-401: The street. The initial term of the 2008 use license agreement with the Oklahoma City Thunder expired in 2023. The Thunder exercised an option to extend the agreement for three years to allow time for the city to develop plans for a new arena. On December 12, 2023, Oklahoma City voters approved a 72-month extension of a one-cent sales tax to build a new, publicly owned downtown arena. This arena

3416-588: The summer and autumn. In 2024, the Freedom moved to Florida and Oklahoma acquired a new team, the Wildcatters. Said team now call Paycom Center home. The Center held the 2015 North American Youth Congress (NAYC) of the United Pentecostal Church International . The event sold out the arena, requiring the neighboring Cox Convention Center to be used as overflow with video streamed from across

3477-581: The team announced they would be called the Oklahoma City Thunder . The Thunder have been a playoff mainstay since arriving in Oklahoma. Chesapeake Energy Arena hosted playoff games every year between 2010 and 2014, as well as 2016. In 2012, the arena became host of the NBA Finals for the only time to date, when the Thunder went up against the Miami Heat for the league championship. The Thunder won Game 1 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in convincing fashion, but lost

3538-578: The wake of the acquisition of the Seattle SuperSonics by an Oklahoma-City-based ownership group in October 2006. Originally, city officials had hoped to include Oklahoma City Arena buildout improvements as part of a planned 2009 "MAPS 3" initiative. However, given the impending relocation decision of the Sonics ownership group in late 2007, the City Council of Oklahoma City placed a sales tax initiative on

3599-400: Was approved by NBA ownership on April 18, 2008. On August 26, 2010, the franchise, by then renamed the Oklahoma City Thunder , announced that it had begun negotiating naming rights to its home arena with new potential partners. The facility was called the Ford Center and signage throughout the building remained intact during the negotiation period. The Thunder previously had discussions with

3660-520: Was quoted as stating that "Oklahoma City was at the top of the relocation list of cities" and during the Hornets' last home game he all but assured local fans that "I look forward to the day that the NBA will return to Oklahoma City." Oklahoma City billionaire investor Clay Bennett of the Professional Basketball Club LLC purchased the Seattle SuperSonics and Seattle Storm franchises from Howard Schultz in 2006. The deal included

3721-434: Was the premier component of the city's 1993 Capital Improvement Program, known as Metropolitan Area Projects (MAPS), which financed new and upgraded sports, entertainment, cultural, and convention facilities primarily in the downtown section with a temporary 1-cent sales tax assessed. Despite the "metropolitan" moniker of the improvement program, the tax was only assessed inside city limits. Originally billed and marketed as

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