It’s a common move in the sports business to sell venue-naming rights.
The owner of the Phoenix Suns and Mercury just sold them to a subsidiary of his own mortgage company.
The teams have announced a $115 million, 10-year naming rights partnership with United Wholesale Mortgage that will rename the team's arena the Mortgage Matchup Center.
Phoenix owns the arena, but city officials were not part of giving it a name for a third time in six years.
Mat Ishbia is the owner of the Suns and Mercury and said his organizations are naturally aligned with Arizona being a strong market for brokers.
Ishbia is also the CEO of United Wholesale Mortgage. The 45-year-old took over the as CEO in 2013, guiding its transformation into one of the top mortgage lenders in the U.S.
United Wholesale Mortgage faces a lawsuit by the Ohio attorney general over allegations of predatory practices.
Mortgage Matchup is UWM’s consumer-facing brand.
“I’m extremely excited about this partnership as it represents two organizations that have natural alignment and a shared commitment to excellence," Ishbia said in a statement. “The Phoenix Suns and Mercury have a diverse, passionate and engaged fan base in sports that will allow us to make strong connections between mortgage brokers and consumers.”
The downtown arena hosts the home games for the Suns and Mercury, as well as other events like concerts. It will also host the 2026 NCAA Women's Final Four and 2027 NBA All-Star Game.
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