With less than a month remaining until a new OKC arena proposal gets voted on by local residents, HoopsHype recently conducted a media poll to rank all 29 NBA arenas.
The criteria involved variables such as the crowd’s atmosphere and energy, the quality of the arena, culinary offerings and lighting.
The Oklahoma City Thunder’s Paycom Center surprisingly was ranked as the 19th-best arena by the 35-member media survey. An interesting result considering it could soon be replaced.
The 21-year-old arena garnered 18.1% of maximum allowed votes. It also received one fourth-place vote in the poll.
The Thunder will look to get a new arena constructed as their lease with Paycom Center ends in 2026. The current new arena proposal — which is pending voter approval — includes a $900 million construction cost where Thunder ownership will chip in $50 million.
A new arena will secure the Thunder’s future in OKC beyond 2050 via a 25-year lease, with it opening by the 2029-30 season at the latest.
An OKC vote will take place on Dec. 12 that will determine whether or not the current one-cent sales tax that would largely fund a new arena will be extended.
