Pittsburgh Steelers’ Stadium Sponsor Acrisure Expands Global Reach

Acrisure, the insurance and fintech company who have the naming rights for the Pittsburgh Steelers' Acrisure Stadium, has made its English cricket debut with a three-year deal to sponsor Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club (NCCC). The deal, revealed at the start of April, rebrands Trent Bridge's Fox Road stand as the ‘Acrisure Stand’ and puts the company's branding on the sleeves of The Blaze, NCCC women's team as part of  Acrisure's first big foray into UK sport outside its current US partnerships. The deal is part of Acrisure's strategy to increase its global profile, utilizing its 2022 acquisition of Nottingham broker Russell Scanlan to make community ties and build women's cricket.

Back in Pittsburgh however, not many Steelers fans are worried about Acrisure’s off-pitch ventures. The NFL ecosystem has seen increased activity surrounding draft prospects this year, with Shedeur Sanders' eventual landing spot generating particular interest among bettors. The unpredictable nature of Sanders' draft position – with projections ranging from as high as second overall to potentially falling to the Steelers at 21 – has created volatile betting markets. Brett Curtis discusses some of the best sportsbooks reviewed by eSportsInsider to keep on top of all the odds and different options — with draft speculation set to reach a fever pitch as April 24th draws closer.

Meanwhile, the Acrisure deal is the latest addition to the growing roster of high-profile sporting investments within their portfolio, which includes naming rights for the Steelers' stadium and the Firebirds' California American Hockey League arena. Acrisure UK CEO Mark McIlquham referred to the "strong cultural alignment" between NCCC and the company, highlighting communal values for community engagement and gender balance in sports. NCCC CEO Lisa Pursehouse further stated that the agreement supports a 25-year association with Russell Scanlan as well as progresses Trent Bridge's international stature.

Acrisure's increasing visibility via Steelers and Trent Bridge games strengthens its brand during the optimal times, like draft-night broadcasts and Sunday-night NFL games. Acrisure's dual investment in football and cricket is an extension of a larger trend among international brands to expand sports sponsorships to cover the transatlantic marketplace. For the Steelers, signing a franchise quarterback like Sanders might bring marketability, which indirectly helps sponsors by maintaining audience engagement and stadium relevance — although the stadium did pick up some bad publicity from the results of an NFLPA survey.

Acrisure’s three-year sponsorship agreement with the UK club also includes sleeve branding for The Blaze, the club's women's cricket team. The deal will also see Acrisure's branding take prominence throughout the County season at Trent Bridge, which is due to stage England's men's Test opener against Zimbabwe in May, as well as a T20 International against South Africa in September and a women's T20 against India later in the year.

This means the fintech firm has placed itself in the UK's fast-growing women's sporting market. This emphasis on gender-inclusive sponsorships is a divergence from more classic male-dominated sporting ventures and reflects how corporate social responsibility is now highly valued by stakeholders.

The deal arrives as Acrisure's headline NFL tenant, the Steelers, make key decisions in the lead-up to the 2025 draft. Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, a projected top-10 pick, visited Pittsburgh's facility last week amid continued uncertainty surrounding veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers' signing. 

Though Rodgers remains undecided following March meetings with the team, the Steelers are weighing up other options, including drafting Sanders—a transaction that would likely include trading up from their No. 21 spot on the basis of his likely early draft pick. Sanders, who is praised for football intelligence and arm strength, but faulted for inconsistently managing pressure, is a long-term investment by a team attempting to establish some stability after getting through the last few years with Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph.

The coinciding timelines of Acrisure's cricket acquisition and the Steelers draft policy underscore the interdependent union of sports franchises and corporate sponsors. While Acrisure capitalizes on the international games at Trent Bridge to create UK customers, the Steelers' draft-night moves will dictate their competitiveness—and Acrisure's return on investment—over the next few years. With the NFL draft approaching on April 24–26, Pittsburgh's chase of Sanders indicates acknowledgment that long-term brand well-being weighs as much on rookie contracts as on stadium naming rights.

In a broader context, Acrisure's transatlantic sports strategy highlights the globalization of sponsorship economies, in which firms weigh local community affiliation against universal ambition. For the Steelers, the next few weeks will decide if their 2025 saga is valedictory for a 41-year-old quarterback or coronation for a rookie—a tale that will unfold beneath the lights of Acrisure Stadium. But for now, the Michigan-based firm is spreading its wings across the Atlantic as the company's logo emblazons cricket ovals 3,700 miles away.