Napheesa Collier, #24 of the Minnesota Lynx, scores the game-winning basket during the game against the New York Liberty in Game 1 of the 2024 WNBA Finals at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on Oct. 10, 2024.
Nathaniel S. Butler | National Basketball Association | Getty Images
Warner Bros. Discovery is ensuring pro basketball will stay on TNT Sports.
Unrivaled, the new and upcoming pro women’s basketball league, signed an exclusive, multiyear media rights deal to air its games on TNT and truTV, as well as streaming platform Max. Terms of the deal were undisclosed.
The three-on-three league was co-founded earlier this year by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart of the New York Liberty and Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx as the popularity of women’s sports — basketball in particular — rises.
The WNBA got a lift this season from rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese — with big increases in regular season attendance and viewership. That has carried through to the postseason and most recently the Finals, which feature both Collier and Stewart. That has even translated to changes to the WNBA’s season next year, which will expand from 40 games to 44 games, and its Final series from five games to seven games.
Unrivaled will operate in a new format and in the months before the WNBA season, allowing athletes another option to play basketball in the U.S. during the offseason, rather than having to play overseas. It will also give players equity in the new league, and feature contract opportunities that will offer the highest average salary in women’s pro sports league history.
Reese and other top WNBA players have confirmed they will play in the new league, along with Stewart and Collier.
Beginning Jan. 17, there will be more than 45 primetime regular season matchups airing across TNT Sports platforms during the season. Games will be featured on TNT Sports’ platforms three nights a week, including two games a week on TNT on Mondays and Fridays, and additional broadcasts on truTV on Saturdays, according to the release.
Unrivaled highlights and other content will be also be available on other TNT platforms such as Bleacher Report and House of Highlights.
Unlike other sports leagues, Unrivaled’s games will air solely across TNT Sports rather than having various partners.
“I think consistency is key for us. If you build a consistent home, the fans know where to go,” said Alex Bazzell, Unrivaled president. “The second side of this is you want to partner with someone…
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