Unrivaled, the new 3v3 league co-founded by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, is set to start this January 17th, and some of the biggest WNBA stars will be part of the league rosters. One of them is Olympic champion and Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner, who praised the project, especially what it means to women’s basketball.
“[Unrivaled] is bringing something new to women’s basketball,” Griner said, via ESPN. “They’re trying to give us a different look, a different feel. We can bring everybody together in one spot. They’re really pouring in a lot. Unrivaled is showing that you don’t need a lot of time to pull resources together to be able to put a good product out there.”
She added, “Hopefully, it helps the [WNBA] bring in more viewers, more [corporate] partners. It’s definitely going to put more pressure on the [WNBA] to do better, honestly.” Unrivaled is launching in a year in which, precisely, the players’ union and the league will be negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA).
The WNBA is coming from an historic season, in which viewership and attendance records were broken, especially thanks to the rise of young stars such as Caitlin Clark, who will not compete in Unrivaled, Angel Reese and more.
With its new leverage, the WNBA recently negotiated a new TV deal, reportedly of a $2.2 billion worth, and in 2025, it’s expected that some teams will play at larger arenas. However, as Grinner’s words prove, players will expect a reflection of the league’s growth in their salaries and benefits.
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Unrivaled: Will WNBA star Cameron Brink play for the inaugural season of the 3v3 league?
Unrivaled promises a new era of women’s sports
Co-founded by Stewart and Collier, Unrivaled promises to give WNBA players the chance to earn a six figure salary in only a few months without leaving the States during the offseason. According to reports, players will earn approximately $250,000 along with equity stakes in the league.
Unrivaled has received the support of, not only the WNBA players who will join, but also from some of the biggest sports stars, including tennis champion Coco Gauff, who recently announced that she joined as an investor.
