The WNBA season is still several months away, but there’s now an opportunity to watch WNBA stars during the offseason.
Unrivaled, a new 3-on-3 women’s basketball league started by WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, will play its inaugural season from January to mid-March.
The league consists of six teams with 36 of the best women’s basketball players in the world over the next nine weeks. Three Phoenix Mercury players, Brittney Griner, Kahleah Copper, and Natasha Cloud, will participate.
Four of the six teams will compete in the league’s playoff semifinal games on March 16, leading to the March 17 final. The mid-season 1v1 tournament in February will determine the best one-on-one player in the league and feature a $250,000 prize.
What teams are the Mercury players on?
Copper will be representing the Rose Basketball Club. Rose BC starts the season on Friday against Vinyl at 6 p.m. MST.
Griner and Cloud will be teammates again on Phantom Basketball Club. Phantom BC will kick off the season against the Laces on Saturday at 12 p.m. MST.
Where can I watch the games?
Unrivaled’s first season begins Friday. TNT and truTV will broadcast all games throughout the season. Fans can also stream games on Max.
The first two games for the new women’s 3-on-3 basketball league will air on TNT, with coverage of the opening night starting at 5 p.m. MST, followed by the first game at 5:15 p.m. MST.
Where are the games played?
Games will be played at Wayfair Arena in Medley, Florida, which is in the Miami metropolitan area. The facility was custom-built for the league.
Unrivaled basketball schedule
Games take place mostly on Fridays, Saturdays, and Mondays.
There is one Thursday and a Tuesday game during the season, and the semifinals are on a Sunday. TNT will broadcast all Friday and Monday games, while TruTV handles Saturday broadcasts. All games will be available to livestream on Max.
Why are WNBA players participating in offseason leagues?
Since the WNBA began, players have spent their offseason playing overseas to supplement their incomes. Players have gone to Russia, China, and other countries. However, there are safety concerns when traveling. Griner was arrested in Russia in February 2022 while trying to play overseas.
WOmen’s basketball: Griner going back to year-round basketball in Unrivaled league
The WNBA signed a collective bargaining agreement in 2020 that suspends players without pay for the season if they don’t return from their overseas teams in time for training camp. WNBA training camp starts on April 27.
How are players paid?
The total salary pool is over $8 million, which averages out to about $242,000 per player this season. Players will also receive equity and revenue shares from the league, which has said it is offering the highest average salary in women’s professional sports league history.
Is the WNBA funding this league?
No, the league is owned and operated by Stewart and Collier.
In its inaugural season, the league has announced deals with a dozen sponsors and raised $35 million in funding. Some of the investors are big names, including NBA champion Giannis Antetokounmpo, Olympic champion Michael Phelps and his wife Nicole Phelps, U.S. soccer star Alex Morgan, tennis star Coco Gauff, and actors Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: How to watch new women’s basketball league Unrivaled
