Looking for section numbers and the best seats by level? See the Paycom Center Seating Chart.
It is home to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Paycom Center at a glance, and where to sit
Paycom Center is the downtown Oklahoma City arena where the Oklahoma City Thunder play, a city-owned building on West Reno Avenue that opened on June 8, 2002. It seats 18,203 for basketball. For a Thunder game, the best seats are in the lower level at center court, sections 105–106 and 115–116, with the Thunder bench in front of 116 and 117. The best value is the 200-level club ring at midcourt (208 and 223), which sits just above the lower bowl.
The arena has carried four names. It opened as the Ford Center, became Oklahoma City Arena in 2010, Chesapeake Energy Arena in 2011 and Paycom Center in 2021. Searchers still use all of them, and it is the same building throughout. It is also not the Thunder's long-term home: a new arena, announced in March 2026 as Continental Coliseum, is under construction across Reno Avenue and expected in late summer 2028. The Thunder will play here until it opens, and Paycom has said its naming deal ends when the team moves.
Paycom Center capacity by event
Capacity depends on the floor setup. Wikipedia lists these figures:
- Basketball: 18,203 (since 2009; the building held just over 19,100 in its early years).
- Concerts: 16,591 for a typical end-stage setup.
- Wrestling, boxing and MMA: 16,757 with ringside floor seating.
- Hockey: 15,152.
Concerts hold fewer people than basketball because an end stage blocks the seats behind it. Center-stage shows and combat sports open up the whole bowl.
Three rings: lower, club and upper
The section numbering is easy to learn. RateYourSeats lists the same ranges the venue uses, and TickPick's Thunder chart agrees on the key sections.
Lower level: sections 101–120
Twenty sections wrap the court. The sidelines are centered on 105–106 on one side and 115–116 on the other. Floor seats for concerts are numbered Floor 1 through Floor 9.
Club and suite level: sections 201–230
The 200 level is the arena's club ring, with its own entrance on the east side across from the Courtyard by Marriott garage. It includes the Michelob Ultra Club and, near the southwest entrance, the Old No. 7 Club. Because the ring is shallow and close, 200-level seats at midcourt often beat the back of the lower bowl.
Upper level: sections 301–330
Thirty sections circle the top of the building. Thunder fans are known as Loud City, and the upper level is where that noise is easiest to feel. Midcourt sections 308 and 309, and the matching seats across the court, are the value picks up here.
Best seats for Thunder games and concerts
Basketball
- Best overall: 105–106 and 115–116 in the lower half of each section. The Thunder bench is in front of 116 and 117, so 115–117 put you behind the home team.
- Best value: 207–209 and 222–224 in the club ring. You get height to see plays develop and a short walk to club amenities.
- Budget: 308–309 and the matching midcourt sections opposite.
- Think twice: the lowest rows behind each basket, where the stanchion and the players on the baseline block much of the far end, and the upper corners, which add both height and an angle.
Concerts
For an end-stage show, RateYourSeats picks the center floor sections (Floor 2, 5 and 8) and the lower sides closest to the stage, roughly 104–107 and 114–117. Sections right beside the stage can lose the video screens, and the 300-level sections facing the stage are the farthest from the performers, though they do show the full lighting rig. For center-stage shows and rodeo events, the lower sidelines are again the safest choice.
Parking, the streetcar and game-day shuttles
Most fans park in downtown and Bricktown garages. EMBARK, the city transit agency, lists the Century Center, Convention Center, Sheridan/Walker and Arts District garages, and notes that a parking receipt from any of them lets two people ride the bus or streetcar free for 24 hours. As of the 2026–27 season, a game-day shuttle runs from the Sheridan/Walker and Arts garages every 15 minutes, starting two hours before tipoff and ending an hour after the game. The arena's guest guide also lists the underground Prairie Surf Studios garage, reached from E.K. Gaylord Boulevard.
- OKC Streetcar: the Arena stop on Reno Avenue sits just north of the building, and a second stop is at Oklahoma City Boulevard and South Robinson. Ride the same loop home that you came on.
- RAPID park-and-ride: free parking at Northwest Expressway and Meridian, with buses to the arena streetcar stop on home-game days.
- Rideshare: Uber and Lyft use Second and Harvey on the west side.
Garage rates and shuttle schedules change; check EMBARK's Paycom Center page before you go.
Bag policy, doors and arena rules
As of the 2026–27 season, Paycom Center allows bags no larger than 6 by 9 by 2 inches, about the size of a small clutch. Clear bags are allowed only within that size, so a stadium-style clear tote will be turned away. Autograph items follow the same limit; full-size basketballs and binders are not allowed.
- Doors: 90 minutes before Thunder games; concert times vary.
- Re-entry: prohibited once you exit.
- Payment: cashless, with reverse ATMs that convert cash to a prepaid card near section 106, the northwest entrance and sections 311–312.
- Children: for Thunder games, kids 2 and under do not need a ticket; for most concerts a ticket is required from age 2.
- Smoking and vaping: not allowed anywhere on city property.
Rules change by season and tour, so check the arena's A–Z guest guide before the event.
From Ford Center to two NBA Finals
The arena opened in 2002 at a cost of about 89 million dollars, with minor league hockey (the Oklahoma City Blazers) and arena football as its first sports tenants. Its first NBA tenant arrived by accident: after Hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans Hornets played most of their home games here from 2005 to 2007 as the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets. In 2008 the Seattle SuperSonics relocated to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder.
The building hosted the NBA Finals in 2012, when the Thunder lost to Miami, and again in 2025, when Oklahoma City beat the Indiana Pacers in seven games, clinching the championship at home on June 22, 2025. A 28,000-pound scoreboard was installed in 2023. The arena also hosts NCAA tournament rounds, the men's basketball edition of the Bedlam rivalry, PBR's Oklahoma Wildcatters and UFC cards.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capacity of Paycom Center?
Paycom Center seats 18,203 for basketball. Concert capacity is about 16,591, combat sports 16,757 and hockey 15,152.
Is Paycom Center the same as Chesapeake Energy Arena?
Yes. The arena opened as the Ford Center in 2002, was briefly Oklahoma City Arena, became Chesapeake Energy Arena in 2011 and was renamed Paycom Center in 2021.
Are the Thunder moving to a new arena?
Yes. A new downtown arena named Continental Coliseum is expected in late summer 2028, according to a March 2026 announcement. The Thunder play at Paycom Center until it opens.
What size bag can I bring into Paycom Center?
As of 2026–27, bags must be 6 by 9 by 2 inches or smaller, clear or not. Check the arena's guest guide for event changes before you go.
Where do the Thunder sit at Paycom Center?
According to TickPick, the Thunder bench is in front of sections 116 and 117. Center-court sections are 105–106 and 115–116.
Where should I park for a Thunder game?
Downtown garages such as Sheridan/Walker and the Arts District garage are linked to the arena by a game-day shuttle every 15 minutes. Parking receipts from city garages also cover free streetcar and bus rides.