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The new 3-on-3 women’s basketball league, Unrivaled, co-founded by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, secured a huge broadcast partnership with TNT, it was announced on Wednesday, the same day as Game 3 of the WNBA Finals, where Stewart’s New York Liberty and Collier’s Minnesota Lynx will face off in a tied series. The deal will bring more than 45 games from the league’s inaugural season to television, starting Jan. 17. The multiyear agreement marks a major step in expanding visibility for women’s basketball, with games set to air three nights a week on TNT and truTV.
The announcement came as Collier prepared for Game 3 of the WNBA Finals, where she shared her excitement over the new partnership.
“I mean, to be able to have a network like that that supports us, especially in Year 1, I think is just a huge testament to women's basketball right now and how much it's growing,” Collier said, per the Associated Press.
The Unrivaled league will feature 30 of the top women’s basketball players, including stars like Brittney Griner, Chelsea Gray, Arike Ogunbowale, Angel Reese and Jewell Loyd. The league's games will be played in Miami over an eight-week season. Teams will play two games each week on a court that is about two-thirds the size of a standard WNBA court. In addition to the exposure on TNT, the Saturday matchups will be shown on truTV.
Locking down broadcast partner was goal for Unrivaled
Securing a broadcast partner was a key focus for Unrivaled's leadership. Former Turner president David Levy, co-founder and co-CEO of Horizon Sports & Experiences, played a central role in bringing the league to TNT’s lineup. He said that airing the games on two of the three nights on a major network like TNT is crucial for the league’s growth.
“Being on TNT, you know … is really important, not just to help grow this league, but also to the women who play in it,” Levy said.
Unrivaled's president, Alex Bazzell, echoed the positive reception from players.
“I think there's a lot of nostalgia that goes along with this for the athletes,” Bazzell said. “We have an obligation with whichever partner it is that it's someone they're proud of, and I think that first and foremost they're really proud of this partnership.”
The league aims to address a long-standing challenge for many WNBA players: offseason earnings. Unrivaled offers six-figure salaries, providing an alternative to playing overseas during the WNBA offseason. With the average WNBA base salary around $130,000, Unrivaled provides a chance for players to earn additional income while staying and playing in the United States.
