Unrivaled promises to pay players the highest average salary in women’s professional sports league history, as The Athletic reports. It will also give equity in the league to its inaugural participants, so that the players can reap financial rewards from Unrivaled even after they’re off the court.
While exact salaries won’t be shared, each player is set to make a minimum of six figures. In an interview with SB Nation, Bazzell, who is also Collier’s husband, said the league’s salary pool is above $8 million. With 36 players, the average salary would be $222,222, higher than the regular max contract of $214,466 for the 2025 WNBA season, per CBS Sports.
The league will also provide a welcome alternative for athletes navigating the WNBA’s long offseason. In the past, many players went overseas for half the year to supplement their income. But leaving the US decreases the athletes’ marketability and hinders the growth of the sport, since players aren’t showcasing their skills in front of an American audience. Unrivaled’s model aims to keep women’s basketball at the forefront year-round and provide players with a second opportunity to play stateside (Athletes Unlimited is another newly launched professional women’s league hosted during the WNBA’s offseason.)
“For a long time, going overseas was the only option that people had in their offseason, and so this is kind of changing the narrative around that and giving another option,” Collier told CNBC. “Overseas is a great option for some players, but it shouldn’t be the only thing you can do to make money and play basketball and get better.”
Unrivaled shakes up traditional b-ball with a new format of play.
The league will debut a new style of 3-on-3 basketball played on a slightly shorter court. The modified floor, which is about three-fourths the length of the WNBA’s court, is designed to allow players to show off their best skills with less impact on their bodies—a welcome reprieve from playing year-round overseas and domestically. The games will also be shorter: In the new league’s format, they will play four, seven-minute quarters instead of the 10-minute quarters played in the WNBA.
Compared to the traditional 5-on-5 concept, 3-on-3 enables athletes to improve their game in a different way. “It takes you back to how you would perfect your craft,” Gray, who plays for the Las Vegas Aces, told ESPN. “You roll the ball out, let’s play 1s or 3-on-3 in the street, so it brings a fun environment type of vibe while you’re still making bread.
“But you’ve got to be in a different type of shape for 3-on-3. I’ve got to start training for this. There’s more space and more scoring,” Gray said, explaining that the new format puts responsibility on each individual player to be more agile.
In addition to the 3-on-3 season, the league will host a thrilling 1-on-1 tournament from February 10-14. The single elimination tournament aims to determine the best individual player in the world. Plus, the winner is set to earn a minimum of $250,000, Collier wrote on X back in August.
Unrivaled
Unrivaled
The league built its own facility—and will offer other much-needed player support, too.
Players can look forward to resources that prioritize athletes’ development and comfort in a new, state-of-the-art venue. The league has a partnership with Mediapro North America, a production facility in Miami, where the games will be held. In addition to two basketball courts, the arena features training facilities, a cafeteria staffed with nutritionists, and a childcare room for players, among other amenities. Unrivaled also hired nearly a dozen personal trainers and massage therapists, and plans to provide daycare for mothers who bring their children with them during the nine-week season.
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