Women's basketball league Unrivaled's valuation soars to $340 million, adds two new teams after fundraising

According to the latest news, Unrivaled, the 3v3 women’s basketball league founded by WNBA legends Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, has completed its Series B financing round, led by Bessemer Venture Partners. After this funding round, the league’s valuation has reached $340 million—setting a new record for emerging professional sports leagues.

New investors include Serena Ventures, founded by Serena Williams, as well as NBA star Trae Young and Orlando Magic player Franz Wagner, who also participated in this round. Notably, the league has adopted a rare athlete equity distribution model—players not only receive the industry’s highest average salaries but also benefit from the league’s equity returns.

Outstanding First Season Performance

Unrivaled’s inaugural season last year was a huge success: average TV viewership reached 221,000, with a peak of 385,000 during the finals. The league also generated significant buzz on social media—league content accumulated 589 million impressions, and fan accounts surpassed 730,000 followers.

Second Season Expansion Incoming

Even more exciting news—the league has announced an early expansion! Originally scheduled to add teams in 2026, Unrivaled will now introduce two new teams, Breeze and Halve, in its second season, bringing in a total of 12 additional players. A professional development league is also being established, adding 6 more athletes.

Week said: “This early expansion proves our business model truly stands out.” The new season will also add a fourth game day, with each team playing two games per week.

What does this move signify? The combination of sports entrepreneurship + women’s events + equity incentives is clearly a winning formula.