The Phoenix Suns and Mercury arena just secured a $115 million deal.
It’s been eight long months since the home of the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury had a name worth putting on a T-shirt. On February 18, in the middle of a news cycle that no one will remember, the “Footprint Center” lettering came down quietly and surgically, leaving behind the bland placeholder of PHX Arena.
That stretch of no-name limbo ends now.
News broke today via Arizona Sports insider John Gambadoro that the naming rights are going to Mortgage Matchup. Yes, the arena will soon be known as the Mortgage Matchup Center. The MMC, if you will. Rolls off the tongue like an interest rate disclosure.
This is the sixth time the building has been renamed, which means your nostalgic Suns fan can rattle off the lineage like a family tree:
- America West Arena (1992–2006)
- U.S. Airways Center (2006–2015)
- Talking Stick Resort Arena (2015–2020)
- Phoenix Suns Arena (2020–21)
- Footprint Center (2021–2025)
And now, Mortgage Matchup Center.
What is Mortgage Matchup? Think of it as an online mortgage directory. It’s a matchmaking service, but instead of swiping right on a date, you swipe right on an interest rate. It’s powered by United Wholesale Mortgage, which happens to be run by Mat Ishbia, who also happens to own the Suns and Mercury. Convenient, right? It’s synergy, or self-dealing, depending on how cynical your morning coffee was.
Gambo noted there were four bidders, but Mortgage Matchup won the naming rights with a 10-year, $115 million deal. That’s enough cash to pay off Bradley Beal—though, sadly, none of it touches the Suns’ salary cap.
In May of 2024, Mortgage Matchup became the Official Mortgage Partner of the NBA and WNBA.
So here we are. After years of corporate partnerships ranging from airlines to casinos to compostable packaging, the Suns’ arena is now branded by their billionaire owner’s side hustle. And unlike the others, this one isn’t going anywhere. America West didn’t own the team. Talking Stick didn’t cut the checks. Footprint was an environmental cause trying to save the planet. Mortgage Matchup? That’s family money, the kind of deal that sticks because it doesn’t have to make sense to anyone else.
Welcome to the MMC. Where the Suns play basketball and your home loan dreams go to refinance!
Category: General Sports
