By Jason Stverak
It seems every time a credit union dares to sponsor a sports stadium or venue, critics from the banking world grab their bullhorns. "How can tax-exempt credit unions afford this?" they cry, as if the presence of a credit union logo on a scoreboard is a betrayal of their mission.
What these critics won’t tell you is this: they’ve been doing the same thing for decades, on a much bigger, much more taxpayer-supported scale.
Let’s be clear: credit unions are not-for-profit, member-owned financial cooperatives. Their purpose is not to chase quarterly profits but to serve people. Every dollar they earn is reinvested into better rates, lower fees, and community programs. And yes, into marketing — because credit unions don’t have Wall Street-sized ad budgets or decades of brand dominance. If a credit union wants to sponsor a stadium to amplify its mission and presence in the community, that’s not excess. That’s smart, mission-aligned investment.
Meanwhile, many of the banks criticizing these sponsorships have their names plastered across America’s biggest stadiums. Bank of America Stadium. Citi Field. Chase Center. U.S. Bank Stadium. Truist Park. Capital One Arena. These are billion-dollar institutions that have spent hundreds of millions buying naming rights, all while enjoying massive taxpayer bailouts.
Citigroup, for example, received $45 billion in federal bailouts during the 2008 financial crisis. And less than a year later, Citi Field opened as the New York Mets’ new home — a $400 million naming deal that raised more than a few eyebrows. But somehow, no one suggested Citigroup should abandon marketing because it was bailed out by taxpayers.
The hypocrisy is staggering.
No TARP Bailouts
Credit unions didn’t take TARP bailouts. Their funds come from their members, not from taxpayers. And when they choose to invest in stadium sponsorships, they’re doing it with accountability to those same members. Not to shareholders, not to Wall Street, but to the very people who use their services.
And here’s another fact that often gets left out: when banks spend hundreds of millions on stadium sponsorships, they treat it as a marketing and advertising expense — and deduct it from their taxes. That’s right. These mega-deals can be written off as business expenses, giving banks yet another taxpayer-funded advantage. Essentially, taxpayers are subsidizing the very marketing budgets that banks use to build brand dominance. So, when a bank puts its name on a venue, it doesn’t just get visibility — it can get a tax break too. Yet somehow, these same institutions have the audacity to question credit unions, which don’t receive direct taxpayer funding and aren’t writing off stadium deals against corporate income.
And these aren’t just logos on buildings. Credit union sponsorships come with real community investment. Take Credit Union 1’s partnership with the University of Illinois Chicago — alongside naming rights, they committed $750,000 to scholarships for students. Or look at Mountain America Credit Union’s sponsorship of Arizona State University’s stadium: in addition to the naming rights, they provide scholarships, donate shoes to those in need, and fund financial education and internships for students.
These are not vanity projects. They’re investments in education, youth, and community vitality. They reflect what credit unions do best: put people over profits.
Still, critics argue that if credit unions can afford stadium deals, they shouldn’t be tax-exempt. That logic is flawed and dangerous. The credit union tax exemption isn’t a loophole — it’s a recognition that credit unions are fundamentally different. They’re not trying to maximize returns for investors. Their tax-exempt status exists to support a model that delivers financial services to underserved populations, promotes thrift, and returns value to members and communities. And it works: credit union members save billions annually through better rates and lower fees.
In fact, the presence of credit unions forces banks to compete, indirectly saving bank customers over $5 billion a year, according to some estimates. That’s a public good. And it’s part of why Congress has repeatedly reaffirmed the credit union tax exemption.
Marketing doesn’t cancel out that mission. On the contrary, marketing helps credit unions reach more people who can benefit from it. Sponsorships make credit unions more visible to working families, students, veterans, and others who may not even realize there’s a better financial option in their backyard. It’s brand-building with a purpose.
Not Just A Deal, A Commitment
Consider the Golden 1 Credit Union Arena in Sacramento. This wasn’t just a stadium naming deal; it was a commitment to keep an NBA team in town, generate jobs, spur downtown development, and give back to the region. The credit union didn’t do it for profits. They did it to anchor a revitalized Sacramento — a move local leaders praised as transformative.
When banks sponsor venues, it’s business. When credit unions do it, suddenly it’s suspicious? That’s not scrutiny. That’s sabotage.
Let’s also remember who benefits. These deals often come with perks for members — discounted tickets, community nights, financial education programs, and youth sports support. When a credit union sponsors a stadium, the value flows back into the community. That’s miles away from the cold calculus of bank marketing budgets aimed at quarterly gains.
It’s time to stop pretending that credit unions are somehow unworthy of participating in public life because they don’t pay federal income tax. They pay other taxes, they follow strict regulations, and most importantly, they deliver real value to millions of Americans. If anything, their presence in stadiums should be celebrated. It means financial institutions that prioritize people over profit are visible, viable, and vibrant.
The next time someone complains about a credit union name on a stadium, ask them this: would you rather see a community-owned, member-focused organization up there — or another too-big-to-fail megabank that had to be rescued with your tax dollars?
Credit unions belong in the spotlight. They’ve earned it. Let them stand tall — in stadiums, on campuses, in communities — and let their visibility be a beacon of what finance can look like when it puts people first.
Because a logo on a scoreboard isn’t just marketing. It’s a declaration: the community has a team. And its name is a credit union.
Jason Stverak is Chief Advocacy Officer at the Defense Credit Union Council.