It looks like the OKC Thunder have started negotiating naming rights for the Arena. Who do you think will end up with the naming rights? Any preferences?

http://newsok.com/ford-center-name-to-change/article/3488958?custom_click=lead_story_title

I saw that, looks like they couldn't reach a re-negotiation agreement with FORD Dealers. Too bad, it gives us good national exposure. I bet Devon, CHK, or BOK end up getting it.

BOK Center of the West?

It will be interesting to see if they can get a company sponsor all. Companies around here are doing okay, but their investors may still be skittish about the economy enough to object to plunking down naming rights. Jerry Jones and the Cowboys had no takers for the Cowdome, and that was just last year.

BOK Center of the West?

It will be interesting to see if they can get a company sponsor all. Companies around here are doing okay, but their investors may still be skittish about the economy enough to object to plunking down naming rights. Jerry Jones and the Cowboys had no takers for the Cowdome, and that was just last year.

I agree with this. You can probably rule out CHK on stockholder anxiety alone. If McClendon is arrogant enough to do it, and I don't rule that out, the next investors meeting will look like the Boston Tea Party. The whole idea of a CEO using his public company to shovel money his own way, for his own profit, would be bad enough. That's a no go.

I saw that, looks like they couldn't reach a re-negotiation agreement with FORD Dealers. Too bad, it gives us good national exposure. I bet Devon, CHK, or BOK end up getting it.

Why does Ford being the named company on the arena give Oklahoma City more national exposure than if it were any other company? I don't understand that.

As long as it brings in more money than the paltry amount we were getting from the Ford dealers, I'm delighted to have a new name. I think the Devon Center has a nice ring to it, and Devon certainly has a lot of cash with their offshore oil interest sales, despite having to pay for a building. It would give them some additional national exposure as well.

Why does Ford being the named company on the arena give Oklahoma City more national exposure than if it were any other company? I don't understand that.

We've discussed it in the past in other threads. FORD is a reputable INTERNATIONAL brand. No one outside of OKC, Ft. Worth and small town W. Virginia have heard of Chesapeake. About the same goes for Devon or Sandridge. No one cares or know what they are even. It speaks volumes about OKC's image when we have a reputable international brand slapped on the naming rights of our arena, even if it is just the local dealers pitching in together to pay for it. I know it sounds silly but it's true. Look at some of the posts in past threads from our out of state and out of country posters. I too am a little concerned about CHK getting ballsy and going for the naming rights, it could be a worse move for OKC in the long run for reasons mentioned above. People don't realize how much naming rights cost for a NBA arena, we don't have too many companies that can afford it, especially in a down economy.

I beg to differ on Chesapeake. I also have an office in LA and travel quite a bit for work and I regularly see television ads for Chesapeake. Those who want to keep criticizing Aubrey, fine. But to not recognize they are not just a little Oklahoma City gas company is silly.

That said, few companies worldwide have the brand recognition that Ford does.

Southwest Airlines would be a logical sponsor. National name and locally dominant. The Southwest Center doesn't sound bad.

Which is more recognizable anywhere on the globe? CHK or FORD? Sure CHK, DVN and BOK have little pockets where they might be known, but EVERYONE, even in 3rd world countries know what a Ford is. Not to mention, a lot of people outside the "oil belt" don't like oil companies. FORD brings a better image to OKC. Not that it matters.

I don't always agree with Metro, but when he's right, he's right. On this -- he's right.

Which is more recognizable anywhere on the globe? CHK or FORD? Sure CHK, DVN and BOK have little pockets where they might be known, but EVERYONE, even in 3rd world countries know what a Ford is. Not to mention, a lot of people outside the "oil belt" don't like oil companies. FORD brings a better image to OKC. Not that it matters.

Haha and without oil companies Ford wouldnt be recognized internationally, so i really care what people think outside of "the oil belt". Autos and oil kinda go hand in hand last time I checked.
I think its safe to say that CHK will not put their name on the Ford Center, so this debate is pretty stupid.

I agree that the Ford name has a lot of cachet, but what this team needs is money....more than cachet. We're a small market without lots of high paying sponsors. Kevin Durant provides all the cachet we need, and his salary is already set.

Exactly betts. For our sake, I hope we get some out of state F500 company wanting to sponsor it, such as Southwest Airlines or such. Would be great to get some out of state money into the local coffers instead of our Big 3 always having to pony up.

Sonic should sponsor it. Call it "Sonic Center" or something. Oh, how the people in seattle would love it.

I'd love for Sonic to do it. Oklahoma City Thunder in the Sonic Center. Oh the joy. Realistically, I doubt it would happen. Southwest Airlines could do it, but I doubt they will. I'd expect for Love's to put in a bid as well as MidFirst. Devon Center doesn't sound that bad though, personally.

Truth be told, the first thing that came to me was the Big Truck Tacodome.

Won't happen, of course, but...

I like Devon Energy Arena better than center. With all the cash that Devon has this would be nothing for them. It would be awesome for tv to have the newly remodeled arena and brand new 850' building. I think it would be a great image for OKC to display.

Devon Energy Arena sounds good to me!

Devon Energy Arena sounds good to me!

Given what Devon is currently building, Devon needs to drop a dime on naming rights like a fish needs a bicycle. I just do not see this happening.

^^I said it sounded good!I would like even better if The Ford center name stuck around!

Considering I'm not a big fan of Ford, I'm kinda glad to see them losing the rights. Hopefully a big name will come in.

^^ Ford's one of The biggest names in The World!

My money is on Sonic or MidFirst

Did Ford pay $8.1 million already or how much are they paying annually? If they paid in whole, then I think Ford should get their money back. If annually, then Ford should stop paying.

Naming rights simply is to sponsor and support the arena and team? I'd say Devon should be the one, but to actually name it the Thunderdome. I don't care about the name already being used elsewhere! The name is fitting for this arena and everyone is already calling it the Thunderdome.

The Sonic Center.

Local company with recognition nationally...

Word connections like Thunder and Sonic Boom....

A coincidental connection that could be seen as honoring the heritage of the franchise (or perceived as a slap in the face to the Seattle folks).

Devon Center/ Arena,Sandridge Center,ChesapeakeCenter/Arena,Sonic Center/Arena,MidFirst Center,Hertz Center/Arena!just a few.

Well how about the Boeing Arena or Center, since Boeing is bringing jobs to the city, but I also like Devon Energy Arena as well.

Just curious, why do they want to change the name? They hate the Ford name or what? Or they looking for more money?

Just curious, why do they want to change the name? They hate the Ford name or what? Or they looking for more money?

Money rules, Thunder. They would be happy to keep the Ford name if the money was right.

Then, I am sure Ford will pay more money.

Ford Motor Company is not paying for it. The local Ford dealers put up some money to have the name put up there. Ford had nothing to do with it except for giving permission to the local owners to do it.

As long as it brings in more money than the paltry amount we were getting from the Ford dealers, I'm delighted to have a new name. I think the Devon Center has a nice ring to it, and Devon certainly has a lot of cash with their offshore oil interest sales, despite having to pay for a building. It would give them some additional national exposure as well.

The "paltry amount" apparently was the best deal the City could work at the time. Tulsa didn't get much more than that for the BoK. The BoK was worth $11M but over 20 years ($550K/year) where the Ford was $8.1M for 15 years ($540K/year) And, as you well know "we" won't be getting anything out of any new naming rights, all of that money was given away to the Team (to a building they didn't build or pay for the improvements on).


Did Ford pay $8.1 million already or how much are they paying annually? If they paid in whole, then I think Ford should get their money back. If annually, then Ford should stop paying.

Naming rights simply is to sponsor and support the arena and team? I'd say Devon should be the one, but to actually name it the Thunderdome. I don't care about the name already being used elsewhere! The name is fitting for this arena and everyone is already calling it the Thunderdome.

The money from the naming rights don't support the arena at all since the money now incorrectly has been given away to the team. According to published sources, the $8.1M is correct and works out to be $540K/year. Yet we are only getting $409K/year w/the Thunder lease. Losing $131K/year in the process. Not not to mention the $90M or so that we gave away. The naming rights should have been worth at least the $90M Memphis got for theirs (a slightly smaller market). And the $90M is hand in hand when you take the teams own consultants conservative estimates formula extended for the full term of the lease ($86M)

Would like to think the Mayor has returned to his original opposition to corporate naming rights (he voted against it when he was councilman) since he insisted that the team name formally include Oklahoma City/OKC, I hope he can exert some sort of pressure on Bennett et al to include OKC as part of the official name of the building. When he voted against it, he said that we need to be promoting the city and not some corporation.

Even though it'd be a long title name, I'd love to see Southwest Airlines take this one. They are OKC's primary airline and I think it would do them some good. Do they have naming rights on any other kind of sporting venue?

And please don't let it be Sonic, although it would be awesome to see some Seattleites whine. I can just see it--free bag of tatertots for the first 1,000 fans. Nothing like puffin up the kids!

Southwest Airlines Arena isn't necessarily that long. American Airlines Arena in Dallas, and I think Miami is also named that.

I also was debating whether to say something about Alcoholics Anonymous Arena in Dallas but chose not to!

Southwest Airlines Arena isn't necessarily that long. American Airlines Arena in Dallas, and I think Miami is also named that.

Dallas is the American Airlines Center

Miami is the American Airlines Arena

Southwest Airlines Arena isn't necessarily that long. American Airlines Arena in Dallas, and I think Miami is also named that.

Dallas = American Airlines Center
Miami = American Airlines Arena

I've always thought that coliseum sounded nice, so maybe Chesapeake Coliseum or Devon Coliseum? I threw my 2 cents in....

I think this Cox Ring sounds pretty good. :)

I don't think it could actually be any company run by one of the owners of The Professional Basketball Club, LLC. A CEO approving naming rights to be paid to the Thunder would essentially be paying himself as an owner of PBC,LLC. That would rule out Chesapeake, Sandridge, MidFirst, American Fidelity. Don't kill the messenger -- that just wouldn't fly.

:)

But, there are arenas that do that: two examples that come to mind are Quicken Loans in Cleveland and Amway Arena in Orlando. In both cases, the team owner owns that particular business. I would guess they get a hefty tax deduction for purchasing the naming rights. I'm not saying that's what is going to happen here, but there's nothing prohibiting it. I still think Devon is the logical local company, since Larry Nichols wanted to be a part owner of the team. He backed out when he found out there was no guarantee they could move to OKC. This would be his way of contributing to the success of the team in OKC.

"two examples that come to mind ..." Betts: How did you know that? There's an answer for that argument, but I want to wait until how you knew that...almost like prepared for the criticism. I don't mean that in a bad way, I'm just really curious.

I'll go ahead with what I was going to say.....with the above standard, you are right. That would keep MidFirst and American Fidelity in the hunt as they are private companies. Your two examples in Detroit and Orlando are private companies. No publicly-owned company whose CEO is an owner of the Thunder could even think about it.

I think this Cox Ring sounds pretty good. :)

+.

I like Devon Dome. Or Sonic Center.

If Sonic wins the bid, then that will be super cool to name it Sonic _______. We'd just need someone to purchase the Space Needle, dismantle it, and deliver to us. Still would like to see an official Thunderdome name to the building.

The naming rights should have been worth at least the $90M Memphis got for theirs (a slightly smaller market).

Not that it makes any significant difference, but the 2009 census estimates for the Memphis metro area were 1,304,000 and for OKC were 1,227.000.

Not that it makes any significant difference, but the 2009 census estimates for the Memphis metro area were 1,304,000 and for OKC were 1,227.000.

Oooops, I left out the "TV" part. Don't have the specific numbers handy but the "NBA database" (that used to be available on NewsOK.com) had all of the arenas listed, date/costs/% public financing/TV market etc). If memory serves think Memphis was 2 spots lower than OKC.

I'll go ahead with what I was going to say.....with the above standard, you are right. That would keep MidFirst and American Fidelity in the hunt as they are private companies. Your two examples in Detroit and Orlando are private companies. No publicly-owned company whose CEO is an owner of the Thunder could even think about it.

But aren't the associated companies of the Thunder ownership group the major corporate sponsors of the Thunder? If there isn't a problem there and they can convince their Board of Directors that it is a sound financial move to be the naming rights company, don't see why not.

"two examples that come to mind ..." Betts: How did you know that? There's an answer for that argument, but I want to wait until how you knew that...almost like prepared for the criticism. I don't mean that in a bad way, I'm just really curious.

I love the NBA and make it my business to know as much about it as possible. It's one of my biggest hobbies. I just happened to know about those two arenas because I know their names and I know what businesses their owners are in. I don't know what business every single owner is in, but I know quite a few and I know the names to almost every arena. That's why. Nothing sinister! I also own okcthunderfans.com, and people over there can vouch that I pay attention to more than just the game.

MidFirst or Sonic would get the most out of the name exposure...I bet MidFirst lands it...No one to answer to and it would give them some street cred in AZ where they now have around 20 banking centers

Walmart Arena?
(I kid! I kid!)

Why kid? WalMart's money is just as good as anyone else's.

Why kid? WalMart's money is just as good as anyone else's.

Because that would be a terrible and embarrassing reinforcement of Oklahoma stereotypes. Even from Tulsa where to some that would be really, really funny, to me that had better not happen.

Walmart Arena?
(I kid! I kid!)

Maybe your bosses will grace us with Gaylord Arena or OPUBCO Arena?

Walmart Arena?
(I kid! I kid!)

I much prefer the Kickapoo Casino Arena.

Walmart Arena?
(I kid! I kid!)

The group that owns the weather channel could call it "The Weather Center". LOL

How about Love's Country Stores puts in the winning bid and calls it the "Love's Shack"?

This city's going on a diet arena! lol just kiddin!

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