Rocket Mortgage Named Presenting Partner of Tennis in the Land

Presenting partnership of Cleveland’s largest annual professional women’s sporting event underscores Rocket Mortgage’s commitment to supporting and championing women’s sports

Photos and videos from previous Tennis in the Land tournaments are available here.

CLEVELAND, July 16, 2024 – Rocket Mortgage, in partnership with Rock Entertainment Group and Topnotch Management, today announced a two-year agreement to become the presenting partner of Tennis in the Land. The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) 250 tournament, hosted August 17-24, 2024 in Cleveland’s Flats West Bank, will now be known as “Tennis in The Land powered by Rocket Mortgage.”

Tennis in the Land powered by Rocket Mortgage is the largest annual professional women’s sporting event in northeast Ohio and offers fans the ability to watch professional women’s tennis in an intimate setting, designed to get fans incredibly close to the action. The tournament, which is a precursor to the US Open, has been played in Cleveland since 2021 and has seen tremendous growth each year. To meet the demand on the heels of this success, the event relocated to a more expansive site in the Flats West Bank in downtown Cleveland. In its first year at the new venue, seven of the 12 Tennis in the Land sessions sold out.

“We are proud to sponsor Tennis in the land since it brings a unique event to the local community, grows representation for women’s sports and amplifies the voices and stories of spectacular athletes,” said Casey Hurbis, SVP of Brand Experiences and Strategic Partnerships for Rocket Mortgage. “Through this partnership, we will celebrate the spirit of competition while also creating an unforgettable experience for tennis fans in Cleveland and throughout the region.”

Each year, the tournament draws top players from across the world. Former participants include 2017 US Open Champion Sloane Stephens, 2020 Australian Open Champion Sofia Kenin, 2022 WTA Finals Champion Caroline Garcia, and several Grand Slam finalists and players who have reached Top-10 in the world. The tournament has also hosted American favorites Emma Navarro, Shelby Rogers, Peyton Stearns and Cleveland’s own Lauren Davis. In 2023, 13 of the Top 50 players in the world competed in Cleveland.

As part of a new annual project, Topnotch, along with several tournament partners including Rocket Mortgage, will contribute to the Changeover, a non-profit committed to comm36
+unity betterment within Cleveland through the transformation and enrichment of tennis courts. During this year’s project, the partners will provide funds to resurface Thurgood Marshall Recreation Center’s tennis courts, which will supply another mental and physical fitness alternative to residents. Thurgood Marshall Recreation Center is home to one of Tennis in the Land’s beneficiary partners, Advantage Cleveland, an initiative providing Cleveland’s youth with tennis, wellness, fitness, literacy, STEM and creative expression programs to promote hope, healthy living and productive futures. The project is set to be completed and opened by the tournament’s first session in mid-August.

“By aligning with an influential brand like Rocket Mortgage, Tennis in the Land continues to elevate its profile and raise the platform for women’s professional tennis here in Ohio and beyond,” said Kyle Ross, Tennis in the Land Tournament Director. “We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to collaborate with Rocket Mortgage and Rock Entertainment Group as we grow the event and its presence within the local, national and global tennis ecosystems.”

In 2022, Tennis in the Land and Rock Entertainment Group, the corporate umbrella for Dan Gilbert’s Family of Companies sports and entertainment properties, announced a multi-year partnership centered around driving commercial growth for the WTA 250 tournament.

“At Rock Entertainment Group, we are committed to creating impactful events, moments and memories for our fans, our city and our region. Our continued partnership with Topnotch Management on the Tennis in the Land tournament is a testament to that commitment,” said Nic Barlage, CEO of Rock Entertainment Group, Cleveland Cavaliers and Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. “We are excited to be joined by yet another Family of Companies property to further advance the event’s influence on the growth of women’s sports and northeast Ohio.”

Tickets are on sale now at tennisintheland.com/tickets.

###

ABOUT ROCKET MORTGAGE

Detroit-based Rocket Mortgage is the largest retail mortgage lender and is a part of Rocket Companies (NYSE: RKT).

The lender enables the American Dream of homeownership and financial freedom through its obsession with an industry-leading, digital-driven client experience. In late 2015, it introduced the first fully digital, completely online mortgage experience. Since its founding in 1985, Rocket Mortgage has closed more than $1.7 trillion of mortgage volume across all 50 states.

J.D. Power has ranked Rocket Mortgage #1 in client satisfaction for both primary mortgage origination and servicing 21 times – the most of any mortgage lender. Rocket Companies, Rocket Mortgage’s parent company, has placed in the top third of Fortune’s list of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” the list for 21 consecutive years.

ABOUT TOPNOTCH MANAGEMENT

Topnotch Management is a leading global sports agency specializing in tennis, pickleball and squash industries. Based in Cleveland, Topnotch manages a roster of some of the world’s leading athletes and manages a portfolio of professional sporting events around the United States, including Tennis in the Land powered by Rocket Mortgage, the Cleveland Open, an ATP Challenger Tour event, and Squash in the Land, a PSA Squash Tour Silver event. For more information, visit topnotchmanagement.com.

ABOUT ROCK ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

Formed in 2021, Rock Entertainment Group (REG) is the corporate umbrella for the Dan Gilbert Family of Companies (FOC) sports and entertainment properties. REG includes the NBA Cleveland Cavaliers, AHL Cleveland Monsters, NBA G League Cleveland Charge and Cavs Legion of the NBA 2K League. REG also operates Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Legion Lair Lit by TCP in Cleveland and Cleveland Clinic Courts, the Cavs training and development center in Independence, Ohio.

A transformative leader in sports and entertainment, Rock Entertainment Group is also a premium experience provider that offers clients and partners an integrated business platform to bring their vision and ideas to life. REG provides expertise in marketing, sponsorship, event planning, hospitality, customer service, production, and operations as the full-service solution to drive commercial growth. REG’s portfolio includes global esports and gaming lifestyle brand 100 Thieves, and Tennis in the Land, Pickle in the Land, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) 250 tournament and the largest annual women’s sporting event in northeast Ohio. For more information, visit www.rockeg.com.