Getty Images
Three-on-three women’s basketball league Unrivaled will add two new teams and establish a developmental player pool ahead of its second season.
The arrival of Breeze Basketball Club and Hive Basketball Club will bring an additional 12 players into the competition, while six athletes will be enlisted in the season-long development pool, taking the total number of participants in the league to 53.
Those in the development pool will consist of WNBA rookies, who will have access to the same resources as rostered players. The league told ESPN that the developmental players would earn the minimum six-figure salary handed to rostered players, and will step in as relief players if an injury occurs.
In addition, the league will expand its schedule, with an additional game day during the week to be introduced. This will help accommodate the two new teams, and will also ensure clubs will no longer be required to play back-to-back games. Each outfit will still play two games per week.
The expansion for Unrivaled comes a year earlier than intended, after it exceeded financial expectations. The league reportedly made more than US$27 million in revenue in its first season, meaning it almost broke even.
“Expanding a year earlier than planned is a testament to the strong business model we’ve built and the potential Unrivaled has for long-term success,” said Luke Cooper, Unrivaled president of basketball.
“We outperformed every goal we set for the league in year one, and with the incredible talent we have returning paired with the influx of new stars, it was a no brainer to add two more clubs this season.”
The expansion comes in the same week Unrivaled closed an oversubscribed Series B investment round, with the competition valued at US$340 million. Bessemer Venture Partners led the investment round, with Serena Williams also coming on board as an equity holder.
Unrivaled has signed up almost all of its rosters for next season, which commences in January. The league’s president Alex Bazzell has said that the need to add two teams came about due to increased player demand to join the competition.
“If we didn’t expand rosters, there were going to be All-Stars [wanting to join] who we didn’t have space for,” Bazzell told ESPN. “We want to be the home for all of the best players in the world.”
Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers is among those confirmed to join Unrivaled for its second campaign, with ESPN reporting her first year salary will exceed the earnings from the entirety of her Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) rookie deal. The league will now hope to add further star power, with the likes of Caitlin Clark and A’ja Wilson among those yet to take part.
Unrivaled was wildly successful in its inaugural season, delivering solid viewing figures for TNT Sports and nearly breaking even. The league is confident of becoming profitable next year thanks to doubling revenue projections – even with increased player salaries.
The increase in teams and player spots will ensure the league can continue to bring in elite players like Clark and Wilson, who opted out of competing last year. Unrivaled claims to offer the highest average salary in women’s team sports history, with reports suggesting each player earned at least US$222,000 last season. With Clark currently tied to a WNBA rookie contract worth US$78,066 this year, she stands to earn significantly more if she was to play in Unrivaled.
By being able to take on more players, Unrivaled also will help to safeguard the financial futures of 18 more players, as negotiations around the WNBA’s next collective bargaining agreement (CBA) continue to drag on. Players have been frustrated at the lack of progress in talks with the league, with a deadline of 31st October looming. The expansion of Unrivaled will indirectly indicate that players are less reliant on their WNBA paychecks should the three-on-three league continue to reward its stars handsomely.
Get access to richer content, exclusive reports, unparalleled business intelligence, and community benefits to help you navigate the next frontier of sport and make more informed decisions with a SportsPro+ Premium membership. Discover more here.
