TNT Sports is adding a new basketball league to its lineup in January with the launch of Unrivaled. The 3-on-3 women’s professional and TNT Sports announced that they have reached a multi-year agreement that will see TNT and truTV present the inaugural season with all games streaming live on Max.
When the league tips off on January 17, the inaugural season will consist of six teams playing 14 games over the course of 8 weeks. TNT Sports will air more than 45 primetime regular season games three nights a week across its platforms. TNT, the flagship network, will air games twice a week on Mondays and Fridays with truTV airing a broadcast on Saturdays. TNT Sports has invested an undisclosed amount into the league as part of the deal.
“Our TNT Sports portfolio centers on premium live sports and our media and equity partnership with Unrivaled deepens our commitment to further expanding the depth of top tier women’s sports programming we offer our fans and presents an opportunity for us to shape and amplify the continued growth of women’s basketball,” said Luis Silberwasser, Chairman & CEO, TNT Sports.
Co-founded by WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, Unrivaled gives pro women’s basketball players a chance to play stateside instead of going overseas during the offseason. For the league’s 2025 launch, each team will have six players, a total of 36 players, and all games will be played in Miami at an 850-seat capacity arena.
WNBA and Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark has announced she will join Collier and Stewart during the inaugural season. Other notable WNBA players that will participate include Lexie Hull, Aaliyah Edwards, Arike Ogunbowale, Jewell Loyd, Brittney Griner, Kelsey Plum and Angel Reese, Kate Martin and Aliyah Boston. Unrivaled players will also get a 15 percent stake in the league for the 2025 season.
“TNT Sports has a long and storied history of unparalleled coverage and production in both pro and college basketball, and I have witnessed their commitment to excellence firsthand,” said Levy. “Together, Unrivaled and TNT Sports are committed to growing the league’s brand and engaging fans with this exciting new three-on-three competition. By embracing a shared fan-first approach, we are dedicated to delivering a best-in-class viewing experience for the league’s inaugural season and beyond.”
The rights deal helps bolster a TNT Sports lineup that will be without the NBA after the conclusion of this season. After four decades on the network, the NBA has found a new home on Prime Video and a return to NBC and its streaming service Peacock for 2025 and beyond. TNT’s parent company Warner Bros. Discover sued the NBA for its decision to leave the network.
As for Unrivaled, it joins college football, March Madness, All Elite Wrestling, NASCAR, and the French Open as some of the biggest sports that will stream on Max.
Stream live sports on Max with B/R Sports add-on.
Everything We Know About Unrivaled
Unrivaled is expected to have a fast pace as the 70 ft x 50 ft court will be smaller than a WNBA court. The 3-on-3 league will consist of four seven-minute quarters played on a full court with two ends. The 36-woman league will have six players on each team:
2025 Unrivaled Teams
- Laces BC
- Lunar Owls BC
- Mist BC
- Phantoms BC
- Rose BC
- Vinyl BC
Players are expected to make a salary of $250,000, which is more than a maximum WNBA contract. This will make it the highest average salary in all of women’s sports. Plus, the league will determine the best 1v1 player in the world during a single-elimination tournament in February. The winner of that midseason tournament will walk away with a minimum of $250,000.
Micky Lawler will serve as Unrvialed’s first commissioner and Ally is the first founding brand partner with a league-wide jersey sponsorship, signage, and other marketing. As a player-owned league, Unrivaled will provide training facilities, childcare, and more benefits at its 850-capacity arena in Miami. The league may take games on the road in the future and explore franchising opportunities.
For more information about Unrivaled, you can check out their website.
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