The 28th season of the WNBA was something to watch! Not only did we see talented athletes make their names a household discussion but it landed the league at the top as the fastest growing brand in the nation. But does it have a rival? The Unrivaled League has finally kicked off and will probably change the trajectory of professional women’s basketball forever. But what does WNBA’s growth imply for the new off-season league? And what do the WNBA’s superiors think of Breanna Stewart’s new league?

First of all, the existing CBAs were not equipped to balance the players’ pay with the growing popularity of WNBA. And now, the Unrivaled, with its opportunistic timing, may change the game further. Napheesa Collier recently opened up about the WNBA Commissioner’s stance on the new league. “She [Cathy Engelbert] was very supportive. She has a lot of business connections, so she was wanting to connect us with those.”

Time and again Engelbert has shown how she wants to see the sport grow and seems like she is not leaving any stone unturned for the new league in the making. The Unrivaled founders can indeed learn a lot from the industry leader who has been leading the WNBA since 2019.

The reigning WNBA DPOY further added, “She obviously has experience running the league and so kind of giving us the ins and outs of what we’re gonna need like things you don’t think about like game day security, medical stuff in the area, just a lot of those tips and tricks. Then just asking if there’s any way that we needed her support in any way. So she’s really open with that from the beginning.

Engelbert is a seasoned business executive and has even served as the first female CEO of Deloitte before replacing Lisa Borders as the WNBA Commissioner. Her intention to be involved in other rising leagues shows the WNBA’s efforts to adapt to the sport’s changes.

The Unrivaled is now the league that helps players play in the States even during off-season months. However, the league is also expected to inspire major changes to the financial landscape of the WNBA. Since the WNBA players have already let go of their last CBA, let’s see how the league may affect the next one.

Stewart and Collier’s Unrivaled may affect the next CBA of WNBA players

Unrivaled started to take shape right at the opportunistic moment when the players’ association decided to opt out of their current CBA. Last year, the WNBA gained immense popularity and the association claimed that the current CBA does not reflect this major development.

“We didn’t plan the league based on the CBA negotiation. But when we saw that the timing lined up, we said it was a perfect opportunity,” Collier said. However, there is no denying that the Miami based league has provided top-notch facilities to the players, which Angel Reese too boasted about.

“The other priority was the resources that they were able to pour in here, whether it’s the practice facility, the weight room, the courts, the sauna, the hot tub, cold tub. These are amenities that not all WNBA players get in their respective teams,” told Kendra Andrews to ESPN’s Malika Andrews.

Kendra further added, “They’re [CBA negotiations] going to be ongoing and they[the players] really want Unrivaled to put pressure on the WNBA to give them what they feel they deserve.” Since the league is made by players, they understand much better just what the other athletes require.

Although the two leagues are not exactly competing with one another, changes are due for a peaceful coexistence. Actually, the arrival of Unrivaled has set an example in terms of what a league can offer its players.

The off-season league has acknowledged the needs of players in terms of overall experience and salaries. From bigger paychecks to childcare, the Unrivaled is arguably more lucrative and better for the players.

The Unrivaled’s perks for players will most likely inspire the next Collective Bargaining Agreement. For now, fans can enjoy the off-season 3×3 games of Unrivaled.