Who’s the fairest of them all?

The GIST: In a recent SB Nation interview, Unrivaled president Alex Bazzell confirmed the new 3v3 pro women’s basketball league boasts a salary pool exceeding $8M. That’s a $242K average salary for the league’s 33 players (and $222K if all 36 spots are filled), exceeding the WNBA’s current $214K max salary. This doesn’t consider player equity or revenue sharing, which is worth millions.

• In addition to investments from athlete entrepreneurs, venture capital firms, and a major assist from Horizon Sports & Experiences, Unrivaled has inked key partnerships that make such lucrative player payouts possible. Let’s check in.

🤝 Ally as the first and founding partner. When the league launched in July, Ally Financial was announced as its first and founding partner. While the exact investment amount remains unknown, Ally is a jersey patch sponsor for all six teams — a placement that typically costs several million in the WNBA. Ally is also appearing on in-arena signage and digital content spots.

📺 TNT Sports will exclusively broadcast games. In October, the league announced a multiyear deal with TNT to broadcast games exclusively on the Warner Bros. Discovery network and its Max streaming platform. The network will broadcast more than 45 regular-season games across its platforms. TNT Sports also invested an “undisclosed amount” directly into the league.

👟 Under Armour will exclusively outfit the league. Last week, Under Armour became Unrivaled’s official and exclusive uniform partner and performance outfitter. Players, coaches, and staff will receive UA swag, with players gaining access to custom products. Any Unrivaled player without an active shoe deal will get UA shoes, plus they will sell merch at Unrivaled’s Miami arena.

Zooming out: In the NBA, marketers can advertise through 1,230 total regular-season games from October through April, plus a two-month postseason. In the WNBA, however, there will be only 264 games in 2025 across its May-September season and a three-round postseason, leaving marketers with a large gap in exposure during the W’s eight-month offseason.

• That’s where domestic offseason leagues, like Unrivaled and Athletes Unlimited, can step in. Look for brands to follow a company like Ally — who has a multiyear team deal with the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces — in leveraging these leagues for expanded brand-building opportunities.

The GIST: Rugby star Ilona Maher has steadily built a social media following, and when her talents — and persona — were on full display at the 2024 Paris Olympics, her rising star turned supernova. Since then, Maher’s golden touch has brought increased attention to Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) and, most recently, U.K. rugby’s Bristol Bears. Let’s review the Maher Effect.

The following: The world’s most-followed rugby player, Maher boasts over 7M social media followers, including 4.7M on Instagram — a dramatic 648% jump from pre-Olympics. Maher’s relatable content caught on in Paris, and afterward, she joined DWTS alongside fellow Olympic sensation (and friend of The GIST) Stephen Nedoroscik — a rite of passage for popular Olympians.

• Post-Olympics, Maher’s jersey outsold all rugby players on World Rugby Shop, a first for the online rugby retailer. Hooked.

The rugby deal: On December 2nd, the Bristol Bears — a top-flight Allianz Premiership Women’s Rugby team — signed Maher to a three-month contract starting in January. Maher, who has typically played rugby sevens, is joining the traditional rugby union squad in the sport’s epicenter. For Maher, it’s a play for a Team USA 15s spot ahead of the 2025 World Cup set in England.

The effect: Since Maher’s signing, the Bears’ Instagram following has nearly tripled, jumping from 25K to over 63.7K, with her announcement video racking up 6.7M views. The team’s apparel site crashed following her signing, and replicas are selling like hotcakes.

• To handle all the newfound attention, the Bears are hiring a three-month social media manager during her contract period, and the team has already moved its January 5th game from the women’s 2K-seater home arena to 27K-seater Ashton Gate, the home pitch for the men’s club.

Zooming out: While Maher is shaking up the U.K. team, she’s not expected to shake up the roster: They plan to use her ASAP, but Maher herself has admitted she’s not the world’s best rugby player. Yet, Maher believes her personality brings something to the table, and she’s not wrong. If the above numbers are any indication, a team can benefit financially from having her on the squad.

• With women and Gen Z athletes distinctly wielding power as influencers, programs sometimes benefit from having a popular athlete, even if not a top-ranked one — think LSU’s Livvy Dunne, Miami’s Cavinder Twins, or even the LA Lakers’ Bronny James.

• Perhaps a more apt example is newly-signed Juventus forward Alisha Lehmann, a solid soccer player who’s a social media unicorn in her own right. Magic equals madness.

The GIST: For the very first time, a whopping 12 teams are competing in the College Football Playoff (CFP), which means there’s never been a better time to choose a winner and make a free bracket (March Madness–style) with The GIST.

What’s at stake: In addition to clinching the ultimate bragging rights as The GIST’s top college football fan, the top three brackets will win Ticketmaster gift cards: $300 for first, $200 for second, and $100 for third. Perfect for buying tickets to a sporting event or concert.

How to play: Sign up for free and we’ll remind you to lock in your picks before the CFP officially begins. It’s that easy!

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