Review by Casey Womack, Stadium Journey Correspondent
The Ford Center in Oklahoma City opened its doors on June 8th, 2002. Behind Hurricane Katrina, the beautiful $89 million facility is the second main reason why it is the home to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Ford Center has built new renovations during most off seasons and is growing just as fast as the city.
FANFARE SCORE: 26
Food & Beverage: 3
It’s your typical concession food mostly with typical big league prices. However, apart from half time, the lines are relatively short at about every stop. There are six restaurant styled concessions scattered around the Ford Center that have professional chefs making all the food, which is unique.
Beer is basically within hands reach wherever you go, which may or may not be a good thing. Plus, it’s relatively cheap. I believe it was only three dollars for a long-neck, which is great if you know how expensive beverages can get at professional sporting events. Plus, there are three sit down restaurants that serve amazing food. However, make sure you bring some extra cash to make sure you can afford the exotic offerings.
Atmosphere: 4
The Ford Center gets loud early and gets loud often. It is built in a great way to bring noise with seats going more up than out which keeps the noise in even more. The selection of music in the arena is amazing. The thing I like the most is the fact that the Ford Center does not play out any sound effect. Everything is clever and pretty cool. The fact the Thunder is relatively new obviously helps brings in the fans and the Ford Center sells out often. If you plan to attend a big game, you are in for a treat.
Neighborhood: 4
The Ford Center sits right in the heart of downtown Oklahoma City. Countless things are under renovation surrounding the arena to make it very inviting. The great thing about downtown is that everything is within a reasonable walking distance. On top of that, the restaurants are great. If you plan on going out to eat before the game and want to be on a budget, you might want to check out The Spaghetti Warehouse (101 East Sheridan). It is a very nice restaurant that has quick seating and very affordable Italian food.
There’s quite a few cheap restaurants that are quick in-and-outs if you’re in hurry like Subway, Earl’s BBQ, McDonalds, and many others scattered around the Ford Center.
However, if you want a cool experience and have some cash, go check out Mickey Mantle’s Steakhouse (#7 Mickey Mantle Drive) about 45 minutes after the game. It offers the best steaks and burgers in the state. A number of the Thunder players, coaches, and national media go eat there after every home game. It’s the place where a lot of the printed interviews are done between the players and national journalists from ESPN, NBA Network, etc. Besides the star appearances, the food is delicious and not too expensive.
Fans: 5
The fans are the main reason for the solid reputation the Ford Center has built in the NBA community. The arena consistently sells out. Even against the weaker teams, a strong showing always happens. Everyone for the most part shows great respect and cheers for the Thunder in the right way.
I’m not going to say 100 percent of the fans show respect because there are always those small group of people who have too much to drink and get out of hand. However, I’ve witnessed countless conflicts of Thunder fans completely letting the drunks have it when they have taken something too far. So you should feel comfortable here.
Access: 3
This is probably one of the weaker parts of downtown Oklahoma City. There is actually quite a bit of parking downtown. However, if the game is on a weekend, you will have a tough time finding a spot and might have to resort to paying 10 bucks for the nearby parking garage. The reason for this is the same huge parking lot is used for the local theatre and all other activities downtown.
As for the Ford Center, entry is a breeze. There are entry gates all around the Ford Center and it never takes longer than 5 minutes to get in. There are bathrooms absolutely everywhere so you should never have to wait in line for a stall to open up.
Return on Investment: 4
Overall, the Ford Center during any event is well worth going. However, the arena during a Thunder game is a unique experience. The fans are extremely grateful for the team and it shows by the crowd participation. Plus, I really would recommend going to Mickey Mantles after the game to check out the players and media.
The entire trip as a whole is truly memorable and you’ll want to go back if you’re a sports fan, guaranteed.
Etc: 3
- Rumble the Bison is the best mascot in the league, hands down. He alone will get you pumped up.
- The respect the Oklahoma City fans show towards the opposing fans is awesome. They will make you feel as comfortable as ever.
- The scoreboard has to be in the upper tier of the league. It’s brand new and has received amazing reviews since it’s been revealed.
