Exclusive: Kaseya CEO Fred Voccola discusses new Miami HEAT arena naming rights deal

HHH got some answers as to how a little-known software maker landed their partnership with the HEAT.

The news broke late Tuesday that the Miami HEAT had a new name for its home since 2000, just as the team was getting ready to face the Detroit Pistons on the road.

The Kaseya Center.

I know I wasn’t the only one that had never heard of Kaseya or what they did, or even how to pronounce it.

Kuh-say-uh, right?

We’ll figure that out collectively soon enough, and considering this is Miami some here will most likely never pronounce it correctly, but in the meantime a quick look at the official HEAT press release reveals that Kaseya is the “leading global provider of unified IT management and security software for managed services providers and IT professionals” making them “the Official IT Solutions Partner of the Miami HEAT.”

After the financial troubles of FTX earlier this year marked an abrupt end to the “FTX Arena” name so soon after the original American Airlines Arena name, Kaseya soon nabbed the rights to the downtown Miami arena in a landmark 17-year partnership deal for more than $117 million, according to county records. While they may not be well-known to you or me, Kaseya is a Miami-based multibillion-dollar company that supports 4,500+ employees and 45,000 customers that recently acquired its largest competitor last year for $6.2 billion. So let’s just simply say they mean business.

Hot Hot Hoops was able to get in touch with Kaseya CEO Fred Voccola to learn more about the company and how the deal came about with the HEAT.

Why did Kaseya choose to pursue the arena naming rights deal? Was this just something that came about once FTX collapsed or were they looking to get a naming rights deal elsewhere?

We began to evaluate the possibility of naming the arena in Miami following the issues with the previous partner. Our CMO brought the idea to our exec team and we made contact with the Miami HEAT and Miami-Dade County. Once we realized it was possible, it was clearly an opportunity we couldn’t pass up. Beyond just bringing awareness to Miami and attracting more local talent to our growing number of job opportunities, we knew this partnership would also benefit our customers. Our customers are the driving factor in the decisions we make at Kaseya. This news brings both Kaseya and our customers national brand recognition.

I went to college in Miami and moved here permanently in 2002, so I still remember when the Heat first started playing. Us Heat fans are pretty spoiled – beyond a great record, even the arena’s WiFi is world-class and offers a great experience for the fans. The Miami Heat are customer-centric, just like Kaseya. They win, and take care of their customers. We love being associated with this.

How receptive were the Heat to getting this deal done? Were they looking to get a deal ASAP once it was up for grabs or was it Kaseya who were the more aggressive party?

It was a collaborative process getting this deal done. There was interest from a few other parties, but ultimately, Kaseya is a multi-billion software company with a 20-year track record. Being Miami-based, financially strong and mission-driven made us a standout for this partnership.

For any fans not sure about a name change just yet, I recognize that Kaseya is not a household name like previous sponsors, but we’re fully dedicated to making the community we call our home a better place.

Besides new signage, how else does Kaseya plan to expand their partnership with the Heat?

Continuing to invest in the Miami-Dade County community was an important part of our decision process. As part of our deal with Miami-Dade County and the Miami Heat, funds will be designated to the Peace and Prosperity Plan which is focused on curbing gun violence in Miami-Dade. The program takes a strategic approach that addresses the social and economic disparities at the root of gun violence. We will also partner with Miami HEAT on various community programs to benefit the citizens of our community. Kaseya has always strived to help the community, and we’re grateful that we can continue to do that through this deal.