The perfect naming rights sponsor for every college football conference

MAC: Rocket Mortgage (Detroit, Mich.)

The Mid-American Conference has been one of the more entertaining conferences in college football, especially for casual viewers. MACtion has taken on a life of its own and it is one of the more thrilling aspects of each college football season. Every season, fans are subject to weeknight games on ESPN networks.

The MAC's television deal with ESPN was originally for 13 years and runs through 2026. Rocket Mortgage is a perfect sponsor for the MAC just because of the geographical region the company is based in. The mortgage lender has its headquarters in Detroit, Michigan. In Detroit, the Lions of the NFL have had tons of Rocket Mortgage sponsoring inside Ford Field.

Not only that, the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers have given the naming rights of their arena to the aforementioned mortgage lender, the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. The geographical footprints that the MAC covers fit well in line with the region where Rocket Mortgage is present the most. There are six teams in Ohio and three in Michigan.

You also have Ball State in Indiana and Northern Illinois. The MAC hosts their conference championship game in Ford Field every year and has been doing so since 2004. Also, Rocket Mortgage did sponsor the MAC Championship Game from 2020 to 2022. So there is some history between the two parties.

For what it's worth, the brand can also be expanded into the eastern U.S. Buffalo has played in three conference title games and UMass will return to the MAC in 2025. They were originally in the MAC from 2012 to 2015. By partnering with the MAC, Rocket Mortgage can improve its brand visibility and connect with consumers in these regions. This can further solidify its position as a leading mortgage lender.