Union Home Mortgage Becomes Official Mortgage Partner of the Tampa Bay Rays and the Tampa Bay Rowdies

The company's sponsorship of the MLB and USL teams will take shape in time for their respective 2026 seasons.

STRONGSVILLE, Ohio, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Union Home Mortgage (UHM), a high-growth independent mortgage banking company with a world-class culture, is unveiling a new sponsorship deal with Sunburst Entertainment Group LLC, naming the company as the Official Mortgage Partner of both Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Rays and the United Soccer League's Tampa Bay Rowdies. The new sponsorship deal follows the recent change in ownership of the Tampa Bay Rays, in which UHM CEO Bill Cosgrove has become Co-Chair of the team alongside Rays Chief Executive Officer Ken Babby and Managing Partner & Co-Chair Patrick Zalupski.

"The Tampa Bay Rays and Rowdies are thrilled to partner with Union Home Mortgage. This partnership represents an important investment from our leadership as we enter an exciting new chapter for the organization," said Rays CEO Ken Babby. "It's more than a sponsorship; it's a shared commitment to our fans, our community, and the future of sports in Tampa Bay. Together, we're building experiences that go beyond the game, and we couldn't be more excited about what's ahead."

Major components of the deal include an array of in-ballpark signage at Tropicana Field – most notably behind home plate and along the outfield wall – as well as pitcher's mound placements, video board features, radio spots, and branding at spring training games for the Rays. As for Rowdies branding, UHM will become the title partner of the ticket space formerly known as the Berm, in addition to various in-stadium exposure opportunities.

"Union Home Mortgage is thrilled to become the Official Mortgage Partner of the Tampa Bay Rays, and we feel the partnership is a perfect fit," said Bill Cosgrove, CEO of Union Home Mortgage. "I am a passionate baseball fan to my core, and becoming a sponsor also serves as a unique opportunity to share the Union Home Mortgage brand with a new audience. We are also very excited to enter the professional soccer space with the Tampa Bay Rowdies and are looking forward to cheering both teams on this year."

The mortgage lender is also well-equipped to serve Floridians in achieving the dream of homeownership, with 13 branches in the state. In Tampa Bay specifically, nine of those branches are within a 100-mile radius. As a Tampa Bay-area resident, Cosgrove has also made both a personal and professional commitment to supporting his Tampa Bay community. During UHM's tenure as the title sponsor of the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl at Raymond James Stadium, UHM's employees and the company's charitable foundation have donated $40,000 to Feeding Tampa Bay, equating to 200,000 meals served to Florida residents across 10 counties. Now, in partnership with the Tampa Bay Rays and the Tampa Bay Rowdies, Cosgrove hopes to continue extending that community impact.

This is not the first time Union Home Mortgage has sponsored an MLB team – the company has also built its hometown presence as the Official Mortgage Partner of the Cleveland Guardians for the past six years. In this role, the mortgage lender is also the Presenting Partner of all Guardians youth camps each summer. Though not identified yet, both UHM and the Rays are working together to identify Tampa Bay-area community programming to be achieved through the new partnership.

About Union Home Mortgage
Union Home Mortgage Corp. (UHM) is a high-growth, full-service retail, wholesale, and consumer direct independent mortgage banking company with branches across the U.S. in 48 states + D.C. UHM is an in-house loan servicer offering world-class customer service through high touch communication & technology. A privately held family business, with a collaborative culture that stands out in the mortgage industry, UHM Partners (employees) are guided by a Code of Conduct that emphasizes respect, open communication, and accountability. All these principles translate to industry-leading customer retention and satisfaction. Some honors include being one of USA Today's Top Workplaces and an Eleven-Year Northeast Ohio Top Workplace. Learn more at www.uhm.com.

About the Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays mission is to energize the community through the magic of Rays baseball. The organization is committed to building a strong community bond through meaningful interactions and charitable donations and has proudly represented Major League Baseball since 1998.

About the Tampa Bay Rowdies
The Tampa Bay Rowdies are a professional soccer club, competing as a member of the USL Championship since 2017. Carrying on the legacy of the club's original era, the modern Rowdies were reborn in 2010 and quickly established themselves as one of the United States' premier soccer clubs, winning the North American Soccer League's Soccer Bowl Championship in 2012. Since joining the USL Championship, the Rowdies have captured two Eastern Conference titles and one USL Championship Players' Shield. From 1975-1984, the Rowdies were one of the most successful teams in the original NASL, winning the Soccer Bowl Championship in 1975 and reaching the final again in 1978 and 1979. The Rowdies home stadium is Al Lang Stadium in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida. More information on the Rowdies can be found at www.RowdiesSoccer.com.

SOURCE Union Home Mortgage