It might seem odd that United Wholesale Mortgage, which is a national B2B organization, would have — and extend — a long-term partnership with an independent minor baseball league, which only plays in Michigan.

But its goal for the partnership is not to reach consumers, explained Sarah DeCiantis, chief marketing officer at UWM. It is looking to source potential employees from its home market.

The USPBL (short for United Shore Professional Baseball League) is a four-team independent minor league started in 2016, with its games played at a single location in Utica, Michigan, 21 miles away from downtown Detroit.

While the partnership between the league and UWM started 10 years ago, this new agreement rebrands to USPBL powered by Mortgage Matchup and the field is now known as UWM Field.

MortgageMatchup.com is a website UWM operates to connect consumers with mortgage brokers.

Why UWM is teaming with an independent minor league

UWM is a "hyper-local" organization when it comes to recruiting staff, DeCiantis pointed out.

"Getting the UWM name out locally is more of a career play, it's a brand awareness play in our local market than it really is for business opportunities," she explained. "Mortgage Matchup is more of the business opportunity" as it is a national brand and this is something which can carry through should the USPBL decide to open up additional venues in other locations.

UWM has long had sports ties, such as Chairman, CEO and President Mat Ishbia hiring former Michigan State basketball teammates in the organization. The company at one point had a name, image and likeness deal with the school, although that ended in 2023 for fears of potential conflicts with Isbhia's ownership of the Phoenix Suns and the Phoenix Mercury.

Other sports marketing partnerships for UWM

Mortgage Matchup is the official mortgage partner for the NBA and WNBA, which DeCiantis said is independent of Ishbia being a team owner. Ishbia's rival, Dan Gilbert, the chairman at Rocket Cos., has been the long-term owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Mortgage Matchup is also the official mortgage partners for Suns and Mercury and the downtown Phoenix arena where the teams play is now called the Mortgage Matchup Center.

"Arizona and the Phoenix market is one of the largest markets for mortgage brokers," DeCiantis said. "The West Coast in general, does very well from a mortgage broker standpoint."

Even with Ishbia's ties to the area because of his ownership interests, it was a natural opportunity for the company's sports marketing efforts, she said.

Plus, given the arena has events 300 days a year, it's another way to get the company's brand out.

Financial entities sponsoring venues

Several financial entities have their brands on sporting venues; for example, in the New York City area alone, it has Citi Field, MetLife Stadium, Prudential Center and UBS Arena. The home of the Cavaliers is now known as Rocket Arena.

The Chicago White Sox play at Rate Field; Ishbia's brother Justin has an agreement which could allow him to assume control of the team in the future from current owner Jerry Reinsdorf.

Loandepot is the official mortgage provider of Major League Baseball as well as the name sponsor where the Miami Marlins play.

Returning to the Detroit connection the company is looking to build with people who live in the area, DeCiantis noted, together UWM and Mortgage Matchup is the official mortgage partner of the NBA's Detroit Pistons and the NHL's Detroit Red Wings.

Sports marketing partnerships gone wrong

However not all sports marketing partnerships have ended well. Equity Prime Mortgage was cited in a pair of legal battles, one with the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and another with Jesse Iwuji Motorsports, which competes in Nascar.

Ameriquest Mortgage had the naming rights for the former Ballpark in Arlington for three years, but the deal ended after the company and its wholesale brand Argent ran into financial difficulties in 2007. Argent was known as the primary sponsor of the Rahal Letterman Indy Car team whose drivers included Indianapolis 500 winner Buddy Rice and Danica Patrick.

Does UWM have any upcoming partnerships?

In the past, UWM has done advertising during the Super Bowl but as of now does not plan to purchase time this year, but "that can always change," DeCiantis said. Last year, Rocket returned to the game with a live shot of the stadium singing "Take Me Home, Country Roads." Homes.com also advertised during the game.

As for other possible sports marketing moves, "we're always looking at opportunities.

"Sports marketing is a fantastic way for us to get, in particular, the Mortgage Matchup brand name out there in an arena where fans are already having a strong affiliation, a good association with that team that they love or that concert they're going to," DeCiantis said. "For us to be able to tie the Mortgage Matchup name to something that fans are already fond of, we're always looking at opportunities."