Affiniti Named Official Kit Partner of Fort Lauderdale United FC

Affiniti has secured a high-visibility partnership as the Official Kit Partner for Fort Lauderdale United FC, targeting the South Florida small business market. For fintech professionals, this move signals a shift toward hyper-local, community-driven customer acquisition strategies, leveraging sports sponsorships to embed financial operating systems within regional economic ecosystems.

What was announced

The partnership establishes Affiniti as the Official Kit Partner of Fort Lauderdale United FC, a professional soccer club based in South Florida. Under the terms of the agreement, the Affiniti brand will be featured prominently on the front of the club’s official kits, as well as across stadium signage at Amerant Bank Field, matchday activations, digital channels, and television broadcasts. The collaboration is designed to introduce Affiniti’s comprehensive financial operating system to the region's small and medium-sized business (SMB) community, specifically targeting sectors such as home services, medical practices, and family-owned contractors that form the local economic base.

The Affiniti platform integrates several core financial functions into a single interface, including business banking, corporate cards, accounts payable (AP) automation, and expense management. By consolidating these tools, the company aims to streamline workflow automation for business owners, focusing on saving time and capital. The partnership originated from a direct user relationship, as Fort Lauderdale United FC Founder and Chairman Tommy Smith previously utilized the Affiniti platform for his other business ventures. Currently, the club operates a professional women’s team in the USL Gainbridge Super League, which is a Division One professional women's soccer league. The club also has plans to launch a Men’s USL League One team in the spring of 2027. The deal also encompasses the club's youth and pre-professional programs, which reach deep into the South Florida community, providing Affiniti with a multi-layered marketing platform that connects the brand with families and local business owners.

"We first built our relationship with Tommy by bringing his businesses onto the platform, and it quickly became clear what a class operator he is. So when he brought this opportunity to us, partnering with Fort Lauderdale United FC was an easy decision. Together, we can put real financial tools in the hands of the owners and families who keep this region running."

Sahil Phadnis, President and Co-Founder of Affiniti.

The companies involved

Affiniti operates as a financial operating system specifically built for small and medium-sized businesses in the United States. The platform integrates several core financial functions, including business banking, corporate cards, accounts payable (AP) automation, and expense management, into a single interface. The company positions itself as a tool for "America's backbone," targeting sectors such as home services, medical practices, and family-owned operators. By consolidating these tools, the firm aims to provide workflow automation that saves business owners time and money. Sahil Phadnis serves as Founder & President at Affiniti.

Fort Lauderdale United FC is a professional soccer organization founded in 2024. The club is a member of the United Soccer League (USL) and currently fields a women’s team competing in the USL’s Gainbridge Super League, a Division One professional women’s soccer league. The club plays its home matches at Amerant Bank Field in South Florida. Under the leadership of Founder and Chairman Tommy Smith, the organization also operates youth and pre-professional programs. The club is scheduled to debut a Men’s USL League One team in the spring of 2027. The USL is a major soccer organization in North America, overseeing multiple professional leagues, including the Gainbridge Super League and USL League One, which provide a structured pathway for professional soccer development. Gainbridge serves as the title sponsor for the Super League.

What this means

This partnership highlights a trend where fintech firms move away from generic digital marketing toward localized sports sponsorships to build trust. By aligning with a professional sports team, Affiniti is attempting to bypass the noise of the crowded SMB banking market and establish a presence in the high-growth South Florida ecosystem. This strategy puts pressure on traditional regional banks that have historically relied on local relationships but often lack the integrated tech stack Affiniti provides. The success of this move will depend on whether kit visibility can truly convert into platform adoption among the club’s business-owning fanbase, raising questions about the long-term ROI of niche sports sponsorships for B2B financial services.