Photo: Courtesy of Unrivaled
A new 3x3 basketball league that could revolutionize women's basketball launches Friday in Miami.
Why it matters: Founded by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, Unrivaled is another barometer for the explosive growth of women's sports.
WNBA players have long played overseas in the off-season to supplement their meager league salaries, but Unrivaled says it has the highest average salary in women's sports history at $222,222 — higher than the WNBA's regular max contract of $214,466 for 2025.
The intrigue: From Sabrina Ionescu to Angel Reese and Brittney Griner, almost every big name in women's basketball is playing in Unrivaled.
The notable missing name is Caitlin Clark, arguably the sport's most popular player. Unrivaled's success without her star power would be a strong sign for the overall growth of the sport.
How it works: The league is introducing a new style of 3x3 basketball played on a compressed full-court (roughly 70 feet by 50 feet).
Six teams with rosters of six players each play hour-long games in an 850-seat venue in Miami, a strategic decision to prioritize Unrivaled's TV contract over ticket sales — though the league has said it could travel around the country for games in the future.
The season has nine weeks of total play, including playoffs, plus a one-on-one tournament in February that comes with a $250,000 cash prize.
Follow the money: The league raised $35 million in total funding and says that all 36 initial players will receive equity ownership.
Unrivaled has pulled in huge sponsors like Samsung, Sephora and State Farm, but the biggest deal is with TNT. The TV network invested in the league and is featuring more than 45 primetime regular season matchups across its platforms this season.
Between the lines: Unrivaled is making it possible for Griner, who was jailed in Russia for most of 2022 after being arrested on drug-related charges, to compete during the WNBA's offseason for the first time since her detainment.
"I feel like something was missing in my offseason," Griner, who plays for the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury, told reporters last week via ESPN. "I wanted to go back to working year-round."
The bottom line: A successful inaugural season of high TV ratings and online engagement could permanently change the financial structure of women's basketball.
The season kicks off Friday at 7pm ET (Mist vs. Lunar Owls) and 8pm ET (Rose vs. Vinyl) on TNT.
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