Get ready to witness a groundbreaking shift in women’s basketball—Unrivaled, the 3-on-3 league co-founded by WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, is expanding like never before. But here’s where it gets exciting: not only is the league adding two more teams, bringing the total to eight, but it’s also introducing a fourth night of games on TNT Sports, starting January 5. And this is the part most people miss—this expansion isn’t just about growth; it’s about prioritizing player health and fan engagement in ways that could redefine the sport.
The upcoming season will see games airing across Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, with TNT, TruTV, and HBO Max sharing the broadcast duties. Fridays and Mondays will be on TNT, TruTV, and HBO Max, while Saturdays and Sundays will exclusively run on TruTV and HBO Max. The addition of Sunday games is a game-changer—literally. It eliminates back-to-back games for players, ensuring they get more rest. As Unrivaled chief content officer John Learning put it, ‘We want to keep them as healthy as humanly possible—not just for our league, but for the WNBA as well.’ This player-first approach is a bold statement in an industry often criticized for overexerting athletes.
But here’s where it gets controversial: while Unrivaled’s average viewership of 221,000 last season was a solid start, it’s still a fraction of NBA or WNBA numbers. Yet, TNT Sports executive VP Craig Barry notes that the audience skewed 60% female—a rarity in women’s sports on linear TV. ‘They’re finding their own audience, and they have a voice,’ Barry said. Is this the future of women’s sports, or just a niche experiment? Let’s discuss in the comments.
Behind the scenes, TNT Sports is stepping up its production game. The league’s Miami arena will feature more fan-focused camera shots, moving away from last season’s video wall-dominated visuals. Barry explains, ‘We want parity across all our sports properties… it just had room to grow and evolve.’ The goal? To translate the electric live energy of the small venue onto screens, making viewers feel like they’re part of the action.
Another bold move? Unrivaled is hitting the road. On January 30, two games will be played at Philadelphia’s Xfinity Mobile Arena, home of the NBA’s 76ers. ‘It will be fascinating to see what this looks like in a giant arena,’ Learning said. This one-night road trip could be a test run for future expansions—or a risky gamble. What do you think?
Finally, Unrivaled’s decision to stick with TNT Sports for season two was, in Learning’s words, a ‘no-brainer.’ ‘We already had the best partner we could imagine,’ he said. But as the league grows, will this partnership remain unchallenged? Only time will tell. One thing’s for sure: Unrivaled is not just playing the game—it’s rewriting the rules. What’s your take? Is Unrivaled the future of women’s basketball, or just a passing trend? Sound off below!
