When new owners stepped in to purchase the Rays, one of the lingering questions was how intwined those new owners would make their businesses with the Tampa Bay Rays. Would Tropicana Field become Dream Home Finders Field, named for the managing partner Patrick Zalupski’s company? Could the next new stadium?
Time will tell, but the first key business partnership has been announced today, with Bill Cosgrove — one of the three co-chairs of the Rays, alongside Zalupski and CEO Ken Babby — partnering his
business Union Home Mortgage with the Sunburst Entertainment.
The Sunburst Entertainment Group LLC is the Rays’ vehicle for non-baseball revenue for the Rays and Rowdies. It’s an internal subsidiary that predates the ownership transition, and appears to also govern some legal contracting for the broader organization.
Formed in 2009, Sunburst exists primarily to drive new revenue streams beyond core operations, including business opportunities across sports, entertainment, and other ventures. It is responsible for scheduling non-baseball events at Tropicana Field and is in keeping with modern sports ownership business activities.
Examples of its activities over the years include hosting or supporting events and tournaments (e.g., the “Sunburst Invitational” in Rays Gaming), and the Rays previous stake in a USFL football franchise (which was later sold).
Of note, Union Home Mortgage, a national lender, is not the official homebuilding and mortgage company associated with Dream Finders Homes, which acquired Jet HomeLoans in 2024.
Press Release
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.
