A group of the top women’s basketball players in the world will debut the Unrivaled basketball league next month. When they do so, they’ll be wearing uniforms provided by Under Armour.
The Baltimore-based sportswear brand agreed to a “multiyear partnership” with Unrivaled, a 3-on-3 league played on a compressed court. The league will begin play Jan. 17 in Miami, with games airing on TNT.
Under Armour will be the league’s “official and exclusive uniform partner and performance outfitter,” according to a Tuesday news release.
Unrivaled is a player-owned league co-founded by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier. It will be composed of 36 players — including Maryland native and St. Frances Academy graduate Angel Reese — spread across six teams.
Historically, top women’s basketball players compete in the WNBA in the summer and then overseas in the winter. Unrivaled is not intended to be a WNBA competitor, but rather an eight-week league that allows top talent to play domestically in WNBA’s offseason.
“I’m excited about Unrivaled because we get to stay in the States and continue to build the viewership and get eyes on women’s sports, with fans able to watch us throughout the whole year,” Unrivaled player Marina Mabrey, who is sponsored by Under Armour, said in a statement. “WNBA players have not been able to really do that at this level, so that is a huge positive.”
Under Armour, which recently relocated its global headquarters to the Baltimore Peninsula, is in the midst of a strategy change. After stagnating growth and executive turnover, the brand is seeking to reset. Its leadership has outlined a focus on fewer products and discounts.
“We want to elevate the brand experience,” Kevin Plank, Under Armour’s founder and once-again CEO, has said.
As part of the Unrivaled agreement, Under Armour will provide players, coaches and staff with apparel and will sell “officially licensed gear” on-site at games in Miami. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“Under Armour is all about creating products that help athletes perform at their best, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to partner with Unrivaled to outfit some of the best women’s basketball players in the world as they compete on this exciting new stage,” said Sean Egger, Under Armour’s senior vice president of global sports marketing, in a statement.
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