JPMorgan Chase capitalizes on cool factor in latest women’s sports partnerships

The GIST: The US Open tips off today with Fan Week, a pre-tourney event that the final tennis Grand Slam organizers have capitalized on by inviting more fan (and sponsor) participation. While JPMorgan Chase has been a longtime US Open partner, the banking powerhouse is keeping things fresh in its 2025 plans for the Open as it wraps a successful year in women’s sports.

• Banks are beginning to shed their reputation of being “stuffy” in legacy sports like tennis and golf by partnering with pioneering athletes and linking up with trendy brands and businesses to benefit from their cool factor.

The portfolio: Like many other financial brands, Chase has been a long-term partner in women’s tennis and golf, but it’s also realizing the opportunity with women athletes and other sports. In April, the bank added WNBA star A’ja Wilson to its athlete ambassador roster and in June partnered with The GIST to promote its unique capsule collection with Round21 for the KPMG Women’s Championship, a women’s golf major.

• Then last month, Chase detailed its sponsorship involvement in “Off Day,” a new show by Naomi Osaka’s media production company, Hana Kuma. The YouTube series follows sports’ biggest stars in their favorite cities while they use Chase credit cards, seamlessly highlighting their lauded perks for travelers.

The US Open: While Chase has teamed up with the Grand Slam for decades, it’s considering how to create experiences for what the event has become: a cultural moment. Speaking with The GIST last week, Chase sports marketing head Kate Schoff said, “The Open is not about a tennis event any longer, it’s about an entertainment event,” describing how Arthur Ashe manages to capture the buzzy allure of NYC with its celeb sightings and infamous cocktails.

• The US Open’s cool factor is undeniable, so how can Chase turn it up a notch? Schoff described how the brand offers a lounge for Chase cardmembers to hang out, and even an exclusive court where cardmembers can access private tennis lessons. Exclusivity never goes out of style.

The landscape: Chase isn’t the only financial brand looking to bank cool points with sports fans. During WNBA All-Star Weekend, American Express (AMEX) offered an exclusive entrance to events and cashback for AMEX card members, with loyalty programs proven to drive consumer spending.

• Ally is also beginning to offer member perks, with marketing head Stephanie Marciano saying that while the company has high brand awareness in women’s sports, there’s an “issue” channeling that awareness into converting new banking customers. Member perks push consumers to sign up and engage with a high success rate.

Zooming out: While long-term sports partnerships are powerful, Chase’s refreshed approach unlocks a different appeal by teaming up with up-and-coming cultural curators and tastemakers. And being relevant matters — consumers adore cool brands.

• While Chase may not be setting the trends, they can partner with the events, athletes, businesses, and media that are, and that’s a great strategy to drive brand love, awareness, and engagement.