RP Funding steps up backing of Orlando Magic

Direct mortgage lender RP Funding has upgraded its relationship with the Orlando Magic to become a champions of the community partner for the NBA basketball team.

RP Funding will serve as the official mortgage lending partner of the Magic and Amway Center, the team’s home arena. The length of the agreement was not disclosed.

RP Funding was recently announced as the inaugural founding partner of the team’s G League affiliate, Lakeland Magic, and the naming-rights partner of the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.

RP Funding will continue to support the Magic's community initiatives in Central Florida as part of the extended agreement.

The company last season hosted a sleepover for local, underprivileged youth at Amway Center, which featured suite tickets to a game, a meet-and-greet with players, shooting on the court, a movie on the videoboard and video games. RP Funding will seek to build on the success of last year’s initiative with a future fundraising opportunity in conjunction with the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation (OMYF), the team’s charitable arm.

In addition, RP Funding will have a greater presence at Amway Center with branding underneath the centre-hung videoboard and on the pole pads, as well as additional signage around the court.

Robert Palmer, founder and chief executive of RP Funding’s parent firm Robert Palmer Companies, said: “Our business has expanded significantly in Central Florida and we attribute that growth in part to our involvement in sports ownership and sponsorship including my purchase of the NASL’s Jacksonville Armada and this sponsorship with the Orlando Magic and Lakeland Magic.”

RP Funding joins Walt Disney World, Florida Hospital, PepsiCo, Harris and FanDuel as champions of the community partners of the Magic.