A view of the Oklahoma City Thunder logo during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Thunder at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeat the Thunder 97-81.
Nov 25, 2017; Dallas, TX, USA; A view of the Oklahoma City Thunder logo during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Thunder at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeat the Thunder 97-81. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
NBA

Thunder Just Announced The New Arena Name ‘Continental Coliseum’ And It’s Already Making Headlines

The Thunder unveiled the "Continental Coliseum" name for their state-of-the-art arena opening in 2028 in downtown OKC.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been one of the NBA’s biggest storylines over the past two seasons, having won a championship in 2025 and now carrying their success into 2026. On Tuesday, they made headlines off the court as well, announcing the name of their new arena set to debut in 2028.

Oklahoma City Thunder Unveil ‘Continental Coliseum’ Arena Name

On Tuesday, the Thunder announced that the franchise’s new arena would be called “Continental Coliseum.”

“The Oklahoma City Thunder and Continental Resources today jointly announced a 15-year naming rights partnership for Continental Coliseum, the new state-of-the-art arena rising in downtown Oklahoma City,” the Thunder’s press release read.

According to the Thunder, demolition of the site is nearing completion, and the construction team will begin mobilizing soon. Continental Coliseum is targeted to open in late summer 2028.”

Rahbar also noted that “OKC’s upcoming arena will be the only ‘Coliseum’ in the NBA.” Currently, “Center” is the most common name, used by 16 arenas across the league.

Conceptual designs, first unveiled in 2025, now have a name to match the vision as the city begins building toward a 2028 opening. As the Thunder’s official website describes it, the new arena will be “unique and transformative for Oklahoma’s capital city and serve as a catalyst for the city’s ongoing economic and cultural renaissance.”

Thunder’s Success at Paycom Center

Since earning the name “Paycom Center” in July 2021, the Thunder have only become more successful. Although they posted 24-58 and 40-42 records in 2021-22 and 2022-23, respectively, those struggles helped fuel a massive turnaround.
During the 2022 offseason, the team selected both Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren. The guard/forward and forward/center have since become key contributors and two of the NBA’s most valuable young assets, each now averaging more than 17 points per game.
In 2023-24, Oklahoma City went 57-25 and reached the Western Conference Finals before ultimately falling to the Luka Doncic-led Dallas Mavericks. This past season, however, in 2025, is when the group truly took off.
MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the team to a league-best 68-14 record. On their way to an NBA championship, the Thunder defeated the Nuggets, Timberwolves, and Pacers, capping off one of the most impressive seasons in league history.
Now in 2026, the Thunder once again hold the NBA’s best record at 57-15 with 10 games remaining. Between Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, Holmgren, and coach Mark Daigneault, Oklahoma City will undoubtedly contend for championships through 2028 and beyond.
Cooper Kleinberg
Written by Cooper Kleinberg

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