Last year, United Wholesale Mortgage CEO Mat Ishbia raised eyebrows when he promised generous stipends to 133 Michigan State University men’s basketball and football players. Ishbia paid each player, regardless of position, $500 per month in exchange for marketing UWM on their social media pages. NCAA athletes had long been banned from receiving such payments while playing college sports. But the conference changed its player compensation rules last year to allow student-athletes to sign endorsement deals on their own Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL). MSU players will receive a $500 monthly payment for a total of $6,000 over the year, regardless of position. While fans of MSU’s men’s sports cheered the move, Ishbia faced backlash from critics over the exclusion…
By DARIA BACHMANN United Wholesale Mortgage is facing more public scrutiny as court battles — and backlash from brokers — mount. The second-largest mortgage lender in the nation, UWM has come under criticism over how it treats both its employees and its customers. UWM announced in April it would force brokers to sign an agreement that they will not work with Rocket Mortgage or Fairway Independent Mortgage – or else be banned from work with UWM, the largest wholesale mortgage lender. Mortgage industry leaders called the ban “unethical and uncompetitive.” Bob Broeksmit, head of the Mortgage Bankers Association, said at the time, “MBA does not condone activities designed to thwart competition in the mortgage market and limit loan options available to borrowers.” UWM,…
By KIMBERLEY HAAS Mat Ishbia is helping to privately fund a new contract for the Michigan State University football coach, who was the punchline of many jokes on social media last weekend after his team lost to Ohio State in a blowout game. The Detroit News confirmed from a source close to negotiations last week that coach Mel Tucker and officials at Michigan State University were closing in on a new 10-year, $95 million contract that would make him one of the highest-paid coaches in college football. That agreement was made possible by financial commitments from Ishbia and Shift Digital CEO Steve St. Andre. After the embarrassing 56-7 loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday, Sports Illustrated reported some Michigan…
