Noa Dalzell, a senior editor with an eye on the WNBA and the broader women’s Basketball landscape for Breakaway, SB Nation’s dedicated women’s sports platform, has been closely following an emerging trend in the world of sports investing.
In a remarkable move, tennis sensation Coco Gauff has become the latest athlete to team up with Unrivaledthe 3-on-3 professional basketball league co-founded by stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier. The American tennis prodigy, crowned the world’s highest-paid female athlete in 2024, has raked in nearly $10 million from her on-court performances, complemented by an impressive $25 million in partnerships and sponsorships.
Gauff expressed his excitement about the investment, stating: “I’m excited to join Unrivaled as an investor. Basketball is one of my favorite sports, and the opportunity to support a league that is redefining the game is exciting. I can’t wait to be a part of this movement and continue to help elevate women’s sport to new heights.”
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On December 16, it was announced thatUnrivaled had successfully raised over $28 million in its Series A investment round, complementing a previous seed funding round of $7 million.
The roster of high-profile athlete investors backing Unrivaled now includes a variety of sporting icons, further highlighting the league’s rise to prominence.
Beyond athletes, Unrivaled has attracted several other influential investors.
Scheduled to launch on January 17 in Miami, Unrivaled will feature 36 WNBA stars, including well-known names such as Sabrina Ionescu, Angel Reese, Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier and Brittney Griner, among others. A multi-year media rights deal with TNT Sports ensures exclusive live game coverage on TNT and truTV, with all games also accessible via Max streaming.
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Players will compete for a total of $8 million in salary, resulting in an average salary of $222,222 per player. Additionally, all inaugural players will hold a share of the league’s equity.
Unrivaled President Alex Bazzell shared his thoughts with SB Nation, saying: “We’re really changing the perspective of the ecosystem holistically. You’re seeing more and more leagues increasing their compensation because that’s where the space is now. We’re proud to play a role in this just economic growth of players getting paid a lot of money to play basketball. That’s where we want to go. It’s great to have brand deals, it’s great to have all of that. that happens off the field, but ultimately, we want to be able to pay high salaries on the ground.”
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