Exciting times could be on the way for the Oklahoma City Thunder! The franchise has grown rapidly in recent years, and we aren’t just talking about the roster. There is also a lot of excitement surrounding their new arena, which is being built right next to their current home, the Paycom Centre. While there is still much work to be done before the reigning champions can officially call it home, the new arena now has a name.

The storied franchise announced on Tuesday that its new arena, set to open ahead of the 2028-29 season, will be known as the Continental Coliseum. This comes as a result of the Thunder expanding its partnership with Continental Resources, the world’s largest oil and natural gas producer, through a 15-year naming rights agreement.

“We’re proud to announce Continental Coliseum, a 15-year signature partnership with Continental Resources for the new state-of-the-art arena rising in downtown OKC and set to open in 2028,” the team wrote on X. “As a company founded and built in Oklahoma, Continental shares the Thunder’s deep commitment to the community. Together, we are committed to OKC, focused on the future, and excited to see Continental Coliseum come to life!”

Since the city approved the new arena in December 2023, fans have watched the multi-year process unfold slowly. We’re currently in the construction phase of things. Once the Continental Coliseum opens, the OKC Thunder will begin a 25-year lease to remain in Oklahoma City until at least 2053. As a result, this collaboration was critical to the franchise’s long-term success in the city.

However, this is not how the fans see it. Despite Continental Resources’ longstanding ties to the city, Oklahoma City residents are sceptical of their team’s most recent move. What’s the reason? They are concerned that the oil and gas company, like its competitors, will relocate its headquarters from the city to Houston, which may have a negative impact on the Thunder’s new project.

Fans remain skeptical of the OKC Thunder’s new announcement

Although the OKC Thunder’s management seems more than hyped about their partnership with Continental Resources, because of their belief in the organization, the fans remain unfazed. In fact, they are worried that this deal might hurt the franchise down the road. As one fan noted, “This will be cool until Continental sells and moves to Houston.”

He highlighted that Continental Resources could follow the likes of Expand Energy and Devon Energy, both firms that recently moved their headquarters to Houston. This was seemingly a strategic move by the companies to capitalize on proximity to global markets and industry hubs. As a result of this, fans are concerned the OKC Thunder might be left out to dry once Continental does the same.

“So what are y’all gonna name it after that company moves to Houston?” Another fan questioned. However, all this worry might be for nothing, as the chairman of the company, Harold Hamm, has explicitly stated that Continental Resources will continue to operate in Oklahoma City, and that they aren’t moving to Houston or anywhere else anytime soon.

While that might settle all the doubts regarding the firm leaving the city, that’s not something everyone is worried about. On the contrary, a few fans also skeptical about this deal for other reasons. “It’s so weird to me. Most arenas are sponsored by a consumer brand like State Farm, FedEx, American Airlines — with a product people can actually buy,” one of them pointed out.

“This sponsorship won’t increase Continental’s revenues in any way. which means it’s just a vanity project, same as Chesapeake,” they concluded. Seemingly, a fraction of the OKC Thunder faithful are also worried about the legitimacy of this deal, as they think it might be just another rich guy trying to get his name on a project rather than it being a fruitful partnership.

At the same time, one fan was left scratching his head, wondering what the taxpayers would get out of this project. “What did the taxpayers get out of this…” he commented. Well, a championship basketball team is our guess. Nonetheless, that’s not all. Despite the arena set to open in 2028, some are already worried about the ticket prices. “Ticket prices will inevitably skyrocket,” a fan said. 

Well, overall, it seems like the OKC Thunder’s latest announcement regarding their new arena has caused more worry than excitement. But with the project being in full swing, it’s hard to see the franchise backing out of this. Especially with their Paycom Center being maxed out to its potential. And who knows, once the Continental Coliseum opens its doors for fans, they might change their opinions.