The WNBA season is still several months away, but it’s now possible to watch WNBA stars during the offseason.
An unparalleled new 3-on-3 women’s basketball league launched by WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart will play its inaugural season from January to mid-March.
The league consists of six teams featuring 36 of the world’s best women’s basketball players over the next nine weeks. Three Phoenix Mercury players, Brittney Griner, Kahleah Copper and Natasha Cloud, will participate.
Four of the six teams will compete in the league playoff semifinals on March 16, leading to the final on March 17. The mid-season 1v1 tournament in February will determine the best head-to-head player in the league and feature a Price of $250,000.
What teams are Mercury players on?
Copper will represent the Rose Basketball Club. Rose BC opens the season Friday against Vinyl at 6 p.m. MST.
Griner and Cloud will once again be teammates on Phantom Basketball Club. Phantom BC will open the season against the Laces on Saturday at 12 p.m. MST.
Where can I watch the matches?
The first season of Unrivaled begins Friday. TNT and truTV will broadcast every game throughout the season. Fans can also stream games on Max.
The first two games of the new 3-on-3 women’s basketball league will air on TNT, with opening night coverage starting at 5 p.m. MST, followed by the first game at 5:15 p.m. MST.
Where are the games played?
Games will be played at Wayfair Arena in Medley, Florida, in the Miami metro area. The facility was custom built for the league.
An unrivaled basketball schedule
Games are mainly held on Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays.
There is a match on a Thursday and a Tuesday during the season, and the semi-finals take place on a Sunday. TNT will broadcast all Friday and Monday games, while TruTV will handle the Saturday broadcasts. All games will be available to stream live on Max.
Why do WNBA players participate in offseason leagues?
Since the beginning of the WNBA, players have spent their offseason playing overseas to supplement their income. The players went to Russia, China and other countries. However, there are security concerns when traveling. Griner was arrested in Russia in February 2022 while attempting to play abroad.
Women’s basketball: Griner returns to year-round basketball in an unrivaled league
The WNBA signed a collective agreement in 2020, this suspends players without salary for the season if they do not return from their overseas teams in time for training camp. WNBA training camp begins April 27.
How are players paid?
The total salary pool is more than 8 million dollarswhich averages about $242,000 per player this season. Players will also receive stock and revenue shares from the league, which said it offers the highest average salary in women’s professional sports league history.
Does the WNBA fund this league?
No, the league is owned and operated by Stewart and Collier.
In its inaugural season, the league announced deals with a dozen sponsors and raised $35 million in funding. Some of the investors are big names, including NBA champion Giannis Antetokounmpo, Olympic champion Michael Phelps and his wife Nicole Phelps, American football star Alex Morgan, tennis star Coco Gauff and actors Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis .
This article was originally published on Arizona Republic: How to watch the new Unrivaled Women’s Basketball League
