Unrivaled’s rollout heats up as it announces key updates

The GIST: Unrivaled — the new 3v3 pro women’s basketball league tipping off in January — is primed for success. As Front Office Sports recently highlighted, savvy leadership decisions and partnerships have positioned the league to profit as interested parties continue to sign on before ticket sales officially go live this week. Making every shot count.

💼 Unrivaled has lured top WNBA executives and coaches. Last week, the league announced former Minnesota Lynx general manager (GM) Clare Duwelius will follow Lynx star and Unrivaled co-founder Napheesa Collier to the league as its first EVP and GM. The basketball league also hired former Chicago Sky boss Teresa Weatherspoon and longtime NBA assistant Phil Handy as coaches.

🏟️ The league’s inaugural season will take place in Miami, but in its own customized facility. Last Wednesday, Unrivaled partnered with Mediapro North America to refurbish an existing 130K-square-foot venue in Miami into an 850-seat court, training facilities, childcare areas, and a content creation space.

• While next season could see the league take games on the road, this partnership with Mediapro — a Spain-based audiovisual company that produces Copa América and LaLiga games — means the venue will be uniquely outfitted with state-of-the-art digital tech.

📺 Unrivaled stands to gain from its TNT media rights deal. In October, TNT finally entered the women’s basketball space through an extensive multiyear agreement with the 3v3 league. That deal will allow Unrivaled to earn far beyond its limited ticket sales, especially with escalator clauses that pay the league more based on higher ratings.

• The league already wields major starpower, from its WNBA co-founders to its athletes, but there’s still room for growth. The six-team league expanded from its initial 30-player plan to 36 after surpassing early financial projections, and with only four spots remaining, it’s now targeting ratings winner Caitlin Clark. All hands on deck.