Oklahoma City is set to get a new arena, and it’s starting with a clean slate — literally. Paycom, one of the city’s corporate giants, has decided to end its naming rights when the new arena opens in 2028.
One wouldn’t think finding a new naming sponsor would be hard, especially after the Thunder recently won the NBA Finals. But the most likely companies might not be a great fit. The city’s oil and gas giants have significantly been less splashy in recent years. Sonic restaurants could make for a cool name — and ironic, considering the team used to be the Seattle SuperSonics — but the company has less local flavor after being bought by an Atlanta-based restaurant company.
Most of the city’s visible business growth these days appear to be OnCue gas stations and Starbucks, but both are uninspiring choices. Then again, the new arena could be named after the people who actually fronted the Thunder $1 billion for a new palace: the taxpayers of Oklahoma City.
This article appears in Best of OKC 2025.