By Brandon Brown | Phoenix Business Journal
The Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury have a new name for their home arena – the Mortgage Matchup Center.
The teams announced Thursday that they have come to an agreement with national mortgage lender United Wholesale Mortgage (NYSE: UWMC) on a 10-year, nearly $115 million naming rights partnership. Mortgage Matchup is UWM’s consumer-facing brand and website.
PHOENIX SUNS AND PHOENIX MERCURY ANNOUNCE LANDMARK NAMING RIGHTS PARTNERSHIP WITH MORTGAGE MATCHUP
PHOENIX – The Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury and United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM), the #1 overall mortgage lender in America, today announced a 10-year, nearly $115 million dollar naming rights partnership — one of the largest in the NBA and WNBA — to name the downtown Phoenix arena after UWM’s consumer-facing brand, Mortgage Matchup. The home of the Suns, Mercury and more than 100 sporting and entertainment events a year will now be named Mortgage Matchup Center.
“I’m extremely excited about this partnership as it represents two organizations that have natural alignment and a shared commitment to excellence. Arizona is one of the strongest markets for mortgage brokers and we see a fantastic opportunity through Mortgage Matchup to help consumers better understand the value of having an expert advising them through this process to ensure they get the fastest, easiest and cheapest path to homeownership or a refinance — and greater education will ensure more consumers can take advantage of those benefits,” said UWM President and CEO Mat Ishbia. “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.”
“Our arena hosts more than basketball games and entertainment events — it represents a sense of belonging, community and moments fans carry with them forever,” said Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury CEO Josh Bartelstein. “That’s exactly why Mortgage Matchup is the perfect partner. Just as they help families achieve the dream of homeownership through local community-focused mortgage brokers, together we’ll create a home for unforgettable memories at Mortgage Matchup Center.”
Widely recognized as an epicenter of sports and entertainment, the world-class downtown Phoenix arena — Mortgage Matchup Center — welcomes more than two million guests annually to Suns and Mercury games, the industry’s biggest concerts and family-friendly events.
“I am excited to welcome Mortgage Matchup as a partner in our downtown’s incredible arena community,” Mayor Kate Gallego said. “With this announcement, Phoenix strengthens its standing as a premier destination for major events and world-class sports and entertainment.”
Through this partnership, the Suns, Mercury and Mortgage Matchup will raise awareness around the benefits of partnering with a mortgage broker and will collaborate to make it easier for fans to access the resources they need when purchasing or refinancing a home. This agreement marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter centered on enhancing the fan experience, deepening community connections and driving future growth for both organizations.
In addition to arena naming rights, the partnership establishes Mortgage Matchup as the official mortgage partner of the Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury and Valley Suns.
Mortgage Matchup offers consumers and real estate agents educational material on the homebuying and refinancing process along with a searchable database of local independent mortgage brokers. Mortgage Matchup is also the official mortgage partner of the NBA and WNBA as previously announced in May 2024. For more information on Mortgage Matchup, visit mortgagematchup.com.
This partnership furthers Ishbia’s commitment to elevate Phoenix as the sports and entertainment epicenter. Over the past two years as owner, Ishbia has revolutionized the fan experience, modernized media rights by bringing Suns and Mercury games over-the-air for free, brought major events to Phoenix including the WNBA All-Star Game in 2024, as well as the 2026 NCAA Women’s Final Four and the NBA All-Star Game in 2027.
Ishbia introduced fan-first initiatives including: the most affordable meal in the NBA and WNBA with the $2 value menu, redefining the game day experience with OVG Hospitality’s premier culinary offerings, and innovative bowl lighting and videoboards for fans to enjoy a more immersive experience. He has also enhanced premium experiences at the newly named Mortgage Matchup Center with the FanDuel Lounge exclusively for season ticket members, the suite-level M Club by BMW with luxury VIP service, and the unprecedented partnership with Major Food Group to open The Ra Ra Room – the first-ever members-only dining club in a sports and entertainment venue.
