UWM partnering with NBA, WNBA on consumer site

United Wholesale Mortgage will advertise its consumer-facing Mortgage Matchup website with the NBA and WNBA.

The multiyear partnership, the first between the leagues and a mortgage company, will begin Thursday with a 30-second television advertisement during an NBA playoff game, said Sarah DeCiantis, chief marketing officer at UWM. The website, formerly known as FindAMortgageBroker.com, is the wholesale lender's tool for prospective home buyers to find brokers.

"Our biggest focus with Mortgage Matchup is education and awareness," she said. "Because if we don't have those two things, that's where the hurdles lie at this point for brokers."

DeCiantis called the partnership a huge opportunity, and both leagues lauded it in separate statements.

UWM CEO and president Mat Ishbia announced the partnership Thursday at the UWM Live event at the company's headquarters in Pontiac, Michigan. The debut included a video message from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.

"When the opportunity presented itself with a leading company like UWM and its network of hard-working brokers, we jumped at it," the commissioner said in a brief message.

The announcement comes in the midst of the NBA playoffs and at the beginning of a highly anticipated WNBA season.

Ishbia purchased the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury a year ago and is one of two mortgage company leaders to own a team in the NBA; Rocket Companies founder Dan Gilbert owns the Cleveland Cavaliers. DeCiantis said the partnership had nothing to do with Ishbia's ownership, and Ishbia quipped that the commissioner's message wasn't provided free of charge.

The website, which states that it's "powered by UWM", allows users to search brokers in their locale and provides mortgage calculators and educational resources.

The industry giant broadcasts commercials in the Detroit area, and has sponsored the NBA's Detroit Pistons since 2021 with a jersey patch. The company also sponsors the NHL's Detroit Red Wings, and among other sports sponsorships has aired Super Bowl commercials. 

An investigative article last month alleged that Mortgage Matchup unfairly favors brokers loyal to UWM, accusations the lender has slammed.

UWM last week reported $108.5 million in net income for the first quarter, off over $27.6 billion in origination volume. The performance was a return to profitability for the leading lender and servicer.