Unrivaled is about to make a splash in women’s basketball next month. This new 3-on-3 league is set to shake up the off-season basketball scene, offering players the chance to stay home, make money, and compete without having to travel overseas. And from the NCAA to the WNBA, the whole hoop world seems totally invested in it. And thanks to them, the league has already raised a jaw-dropping $35 million in funding. 

The big news dropped on Monday when Unrivaled announced that it had secured a whopping $28 million in Series A funding, which included University of South Carolina women’s basketball head coach Dawn Staley and USC guard JuJu Watkins, among others as investors like NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Olympic legend Michael Phelps.

This brought their total haul to $35 million, counting the earlier $7 million from their seed round. What’s exciting is they exceeded their initial funding target. And if you needed a sign that the management is hoping higher, Unrivaled’s president Alex Bazzell posted a confident four-word message on X,

So, who’s contributing the major chunk to this funding? It’s the Berman family, who runs a credit card lending business. Other big names that have thrown their support behind Unrivaled include Marc Lasry, the former owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, and Linda Henry, a key partner at Fenway Sports Group and the CEO of Boston Globe Media. 

Moreover, TNT Sports has signed a multiyear deal to broadcast Unrivaled’s games on platforms like TNT, truTV, and Max. That’s a big move that puts the league on the map, with games streamed on national TV and the opportunity for Unrivaled to reach a massive audience. The media deal is undoubtedly one of their biggest selling points.

And reportedly, TNT has also made an undisclosed investment in the league. Other investors include Amy Banse, the Black Economic Alliance Entrepreneurs Fund, Threadneedle Ventures, and Off Court Ventures, as well as NBA players Richard “Rip” Hamilton and Joe Ingles. But as much as the league is receiving, they’re also committed to giving their players the best.

Unrivaled League set to change the game with six-figure salaries for athletes

Unrivaled is all about changing the game when it comes to how women athletes get paid. The new 3-on-3 league, founded by WNBA superstars Collier and Breanna Stewart, is on a mission to give women athletes what they truly deserve—fair pay and better opportunities. 

We know that both Phee and Stewie have been part of the basketball world for years, so they know better than anyone how important it is for women athletes. Sharing what makes the league’s pay structure so groundbreaking, Collier said, “The principle of our league is that it’s the top talent, and women need to be paid accordingly. We need to be treated as professionals, and so that was a huge thing, is making sure that this is transformative.”

And they’ve definitely stayed true to that promise. Unrivaled has promised to pay its athletes a minimum six-figure salary, which is a huge step up compared to most women’s sports leagues. For the league’s first season, the total salary payout is expected to be around $3 million—and the minimum salary could be even higher than the $100,000 mark. 

When you take a look at how Unrivaled stacks up against other leagues, you can really see how big of a deal this is. In the WNBA, salaries for 2024 range from $64,154 to $241,984, with an average of about $122,000. Meanwhile, in Athletes Unlimited’s basketball league, players make an average of $20,000 for a five-week season. 

And let’s not even talk about NWSL, where the minimum salary is just $37,856. So when you compare all that to Unrivaled, it’s clear this league is a major step forward. With all this backing and vision, Unrivaled is set to debut on January 17, and it’s already poised to make a big splash. Undoubtedly, as the years go by, it’s only going to grow and attract more attention—and more money.