Supporting Small Businesses: JPMorganChase and Madison Square Garden Partner to Uplift NYC Small Businesses, Create Stronger Economy for all New Yorkers

NEW YORK, March 4, 2025 — JPMorganChase and Madison Square Garden today celebrated New York City entrepreneurs and highlighted two partnerships that support the local business owners who drive the city’s economy.

Yesterday, the organizations kicked off their first-ever “Chase Rookie Program” event, hosting over a dozen small business owners from across the five boroughs for a day of networking, financial health workshops, and meetings with MSG and team executives, including former Rangers goalie Steve Valiquette. This event builds on an existing “Spotlight Series” partnership, which launched in 2022 and highlights eight New York City entrepreneurs who bank with Chase at Knicks and Rangers games each season.

“Being on the panel for the Entrepreneur’s Q&A for Chase Bank was a fantastic experience,” said former Rangers goalie and entrepreneur Steve Valiquette. “Entrepreneurship is all about adaptability and asking the right questions, and I loved sharing insights with such a driven group of individuals.”

“JPMorganChase has been serving New York City for over 225 years. We’re proud to support our home teams at MSG and local entrepreneurs through this partnership,” said Frank Nakano, JPMorganChase’s Head of Sports and Entertainment for Firmwide Marketing. “Seeing our work come to life in our home city in partnership with The World’s Most Famous Arena is a reflection of what makes this city so special. This partnership offers small businesses a citywide platform, financial health education, and connections with top business leaders. In a city of over 8.3 million, we are dedicated to making dreams possible and uplifting communities, reflecting our commitment to an equitable future for all.”

To date, 23 New York City small businesses have been featured through the Spotlight Series partnership since the 2022-2023 NBA and NHL seasons. Another three entrepreneurs and their businesses are on deck to be featured later this year. In addition to recognition in front of thousands of fans on MSG’s “GardenVision” jumbotron, businesses highlighted through this partnership are provided a prime space on the concourse before the game to promote their business and receive a $10,000 grant from JPMorganChase.

The MSG Rookies event on February 27 included a workshop covering the importance of good credit hosted by Tayumika Zurita, who serves as Community Manager at JPMorganChase’s new Brooklyn Community Center Branch in Bed-Stuy, and a workshop on access to capital hosted by Franco Riofrio, a Senior Business Consultant in the Chase For Business Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary one-on-one mentorship for small businesses regardless of if they bank with Chase.

“Local entrepreneurs are the foundation of our economy, and we are proud that nearly half-a-million small businesses in our hometown choose to partner with Chase for their banking needs,” said Robert Rodriguez, Northeast Division Director for Business Banking at JPMorganChase. “This partnership with Madison Square Garden gives the entrepreneurs that my team and I work with every day a unique platform to shine. We’re excited to continue creating opportunities for these incredible businesses, watching them thrive, and building a stronger economy for everyone in the city we’ve called ‘home’ for 225 years.”

“Every day, our team provides their neighbors with critical financial health education that helps create more vibrant communities and a stronger economy — and this partnership is yet another example of that work,” said Nichol King, Market Director for Community Banking at JPMorganChase. “Whether exploring how your personal credit score impacts your ability to get a business loan, learning from a local entrepreneur that’s grown their brand exponentially, or meeting executives from The Garden, we can’t wait to see how this partnership helps our small businesses thrive.”

Attendees were also treated to a behind-the-scenes tour of MSG and joined fireside chats with former Rangers goalie Steve Valiquette and New York or Nowhere co-founder Quincy Moore, a Chase for Business client since his company’s inception.

ABOUT CHASE

Chase is the U.S. consumer and commercial banking business of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM), a leading financial services firm based in the United States of America with assets of $4.0 trillion and operations worldwide. Chase serves 84 million consumers and 7 million small businesses, with a broad range of financial services, including personal banking, credit cards, mortgages, auto financing, investment advice, small business loans and payment processing. Customers can choose how and where they want to bank: Nearly 5,000 branches in 48 states and the District of Columbia, more than 15,000 ATMs, mobile, online and by phone. For more information, go to chase.com.