Unrivaled inks exclusive multiyear media rights deal with TNT

The GIST: Unrivaled, the new 3x3 league founded by WNBA superstars (and current Finals opponents) Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, inked an exclusive multiyear media deal with TNT on Wednesday.

• The network is looking to strengthen its sports portfolio in the midst of (likely) losing NBA media rights, while Unrivaled’s inaugural season will tip off in January 2025 with an influx of cash and primetime TV slots. A match made in hoops heaven.

The league: Unrivaled will split 30 marquee players into six teams to compete in an eight-week regular season and a four-team playoff tournament. Even better? The league boasts the highest average salaries in women’s sports history and all 30 founding players will receive equity ownership.

The deal: The exact financial details were not disclosed, but TNT will broadcast 45 primetime regular-season games on Mondays and Fridays, providing stability and financial security for players and stakeholders alike. Content will also be distributed on TNT platforms — including Bleacher Report, House of Highlights, and HighlightHER — to further amplify the new league’s reach.

The context: Simply put, investing in women’s basketball is good business. The boom in viewership for women’s hoops has been astronomical: 2024’s women’s March Madness tournament final brought in a record 18.7M viewers with WNBA attendance and viewership also sitting at a two-decade high after an extremely successful season.

• The appetite for 3x3 basketball is peaking too: The sport’s Olympic women’s final between Spain and Germany recorded an average of 1.9M viewers, while engagement with digital media related to the sport showed 613% growth from Tokyo 2020.

Zooming out: Unrivaled’s exclusive TNT contract starkly contrasts the WNBA’s recent $2.2B media rights deal with multiple platforms. Utilizing many media partners can expand a league’s reach, but exclusivity provides fans with an accessible, one-stop shop for games. For a new league like Unrivaled, this could be just the boon it needs to grow its fanbase. Count it.