Unrivaled — the new women’s professional basketball 3-on-3 league co-founded by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier — is set to launch next month in Miami. For the first time, 33 WNBA stars will compete in full-court 3-on-3 basketball, a list that includes Olympic basketball stars Brittney Griner, Alyssa Thomas, Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young, Stewart, and Collier, among others.
Unrivaled announces yet another major partnership as league tip-off nears
The new professional women’s basketball 3-on-3 league is joining forces with Under Armour.
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Noa Dalzell is a senior writer covering the WNBA and all of women’s basketball for Breakaway, SB Nation’s women’s sports vertical, as well as the Celtics for CelticsBlog.
In October, Unrivaled announced TNT Sports will be an equity partner — which will also mean they will regularly broadcast games. That announcement even surprised some of the participating players and helped establish Unrivaled’s legitimacy.
Now, Unrivaled is launching a partnership with another major company: Under Armour. On Tuesday morning, the league announced a multiyear partnership with Under Armour as its official and exclusive uniform partner. Dozens of high-profile athletes from across sports are signed to Under Armour, including Tom Brady, Michael Phelps, Steph Curry, and Joel Embiid.
The Sportswear company will provide all Unrivaled players, coaches, and staff with performance apparel. Players will also have the opportunity to receive custom premium products from the brand, which would be tailored for optimal fit and comfort.
Sean Eggert, the company’s global sports marketing lead, said Under Armour was thrilled to partner with Unrivaled:
“As a brand, we have a long history of investing in women’s basketball, from the grassroots level all the way up to the pros,” Eggert said. “From our highly competitive AAU circuits, which foster some of the best talent across the country, to our partnership with some incredible women’s collegiate programs—such as the University of South Carolina, Notre Dame, Maryland, and Utah, to name a few—to supporting our female professional basketball athletes as they pursue excellence on and off the court, we are committed to providing equity for women in the sport and we are excited to partner with Unrivaled in their mission to do just that and support these phenomenal athletes.”
Alex Bazzell, Unrivaled’s president and the husband of WNBA star Napheesa Collier, also expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership with Under Armour.
“Unrivaled is all about challenging the status quo, and as a fellow innovator, Under Armour shares the same values and standards of excellence we set for ourselves,” Bazzell said. “This partnership is more than just a collaboration; it’s a commitment to empowering our athletes and coaching staff with the tools and resources they need to elevate their game.”
Connecticut Sun guard Marina Mabrey, who is playing in Unrivaled this winter, is currently signed to Under Armour. Mabrey has historically gone overseas during the WNBA offseason and has expressed on numerous — now, she’ll spend her winter in Miami.
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“I’m excited about Unrivaled because we get to stay in the States and continue to build the viewership and get eyes on women’s sports, with fans able to watch us throughout the whole year,” Mabrey said. “WNBA players have not been able to really do that at this level, so that is a huge positive.”
The Unrivaled partnership with Under Armour serve the cherry on top.
“Having Under Armour partner with Unrivaled is just amazing,” Mabrey said. “It shows that Under Armour is serious about investing in women’s basketball, and it will give the brand more exposure with WNBA and top athletes as well as their fans, allowing them to showcase everything they have to offer.”
