Today, the professional women’s basketball league, Unrivaled, announced a revolutionary compensation and ownership model alongside the successful closure of an oversubscribed seed round featuring industry titans and star-studded investors. Co-founded by basketball stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, Unrivaled aims to reshape the landscape of women’s professional sports by prioritizing athlete investment.
Unrivaled’s inaugural season is set to tip off in January 2025, promising a format centered on player ownership and historic contract opportunities. With 30 top women’s basketball players competing across six teams in a 3-on-3, compressed full-court style of play, Unrivaled aims to deliver the most entertaining and competitive form of the sport.
“For years, women have relied heavily on off-court sponsorships for a majority of their income. With Unrivaled, we’re revolutionizing the game by prioritizing investments in our stars and ensuring their on-court performance is reflected in their pay,” said Stewart.
Collier added, “With the growing popularity of women’s basketball and the WNBA, this is an opportunity for us to extend our visibility into the traditional basketball season. Breanna and I set out to create a league that would change the way women’s sports are viewed and ultimately how sports leagues operate. We may have had the vision, but this isn’t just our league – it belongs to the players, and the Unrivaled model reflects that.”
Key investors include U.S. Soccer co-captain Alex Morgan, NBA MVP Steve Nash, soccer star Megan Rapinoe, and sports media titans John Skipper and David Levy. The league’s seed round also attracted investment from renowned figures such as Carmelo Anthony, Ashton Kutcher, and Tyus & Tre Jones.
“The interest and enthusiasm for women’s basketball is reaching unprecedented levels, leading brands and media companies to prioritize their involvement in the sport as they recognize its significant upside, growth, and return on investment,” said Levy. “Unrivaled presents an exceptional opportunity for both brands and media companies to align with today’s top basketball players, and I am thrilled to work alongside John, and the Unrivaled team to introduce this exciting and competitive new league to the marketplace.”
“It is clear that sports fans are falling in love with women’s basketball,” added Skipper. “Showcasing the best players in the world in a 3-on-3 format will accelerate the understanding of just how good these players are and how exciting this game is. I am very excited to have an opportunity to see this up close.”
Unrivaled’s vision for a player-focused league backed by diverse and influential investors marks a significant milestone in women’s sports. Fans can anticipate further announcements and updates leading up to the debut season by following Unrivaled’s official channels (@unrivaledbasketball).
The post Unrivaled Women’s Basketball League Unveils Groundbreaking Compensation Model and Star-Studded Investors first appeared on The Source.
The post Unrivaled Women’s Basketball League Unveils Groundbreaking Compensation Model and Star-Studded Investors appeared first on The Source.