Key Takeaways
- SECU, Maryland’s largest state-chartered credit union with more than 250,000 members, becomes the Preferred Credit Union Partner of Coppermine in a year-round agreement.
- The partnership embeds financial education across Coppermine touchpoints including NFL Flag Football programming, summer camps, and the annual Cascade Lights holiday event.
- BASE Sports Group brokered the deal, adding SECU to a roster that already includes PRIME Hydration, Papa John’s, and DUDE Wipes.
- SECU holds more than $5 billion in assets and ranks among the top 60 credit unions nationwide by total assets.
- A community promotion will award one family that opens a new account a free season of Coppermine summer camp for their child.
A Financial Institution Moves Into Youth Sports Sponsorship
State Employees Credit Union of Maryland (SECU) has been named the Preferred Credit Union Partner of Coppermine, the Baltimore-area youth sports, fitness, and recreation operator. Announced July 7 by BASE Sports Group, the deal delivers financial education resources, on-site activations, and digital content to families, athletes, and staff across Coppermine’s statewide portfolio.
The structure is built for year-round engagement rather than a single-season logo placement. That framing matters because it positions the credit union alongside the athlete and family experience rather than adjacent to it, a distinction BASE was explicit about in the announcement.
“Bringing a credit union into the youth sports space is a unique and forward-thinking approach,” said Jordan Schwartzberg of BASE Sports Group. “SECU’s ability to integrate financial wellness into the athlete and family experience adds a meaningful layer of value to the community while creating deeper, more impactful engagement beyond traditional sponsorship models.”
Where the Activations Live
SECU’s presence will run across Coppermine’s premier properties and events, including NFL Flag Football programming, summer camps, and the Cascade Lights holiday event. Beyond physical activations, the credit union will supply quarterly financial wellness content, host webinars for families and staff, and participate in community events.
The membership hook is a promotion tied directly to the youth sports product: one eligible family that opens a new account during the partnership period will win a free season of Coppermine summer camp for their child. Additional entries are available through select community events and voluntary email sign-ups connected to activations, a design that turns sponsorship touchpoints into lead capture.
SECU framed the deal around a wellness parallel. “Financial wellness, much like physical wellness, is crucial to ensuring Marylanders at every age and every stage of life are happy, healthy and fulfilled,” said Toby Smith, EVP and Chief Relationship Officer at SECU. “Youth sports, especially in Maryland, are at the center of so many families’ lives.”
BASE Sports Group’s Widening Brand Roster
The deal reflects the kind of non-endemic category BASE has been building toward. Founded in 2021, the agency has secured partnerships with brands including Papa John’s, PRIME Hydration, US Army, DUDE Wipes, College Ave Student Loans, Floyd’s Barbershop, and Hard Rock Cafe. BASE says its network reaches more than 12 million consumers across 20-plus sports in over 40 states.
SECU brings scale of its own. The credit union serves its members through 21 financial centers, offers access to more than 50,000 free ATMs via the CO-OP network, and is open to all of Maryland through more than 1,900 membership pathways.
Why a Bank Belongs on the Sideline
The SECU deal tests a thesis that has been circling youth sports for a while: that family-facing service categories, not just food and beverage, can justify sponsorship spend when the activation delivers real utility. Financial education content and account-opening incentives give SECU a measurable membership goal, while Coppermine gains a partner whose deliverables (webinars, quarterly content) extend the relationship past the game clock. If new-account numbers land, expect more regional financial institutions to look at youth sports operators as an acquisition channel rather than a branding line item.
Source: SECU MD Named Preferred Credit Union Partner of Coppermine, BASE Sports Group press release, July 7, 2026, i95business.com
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