– Series C Fundraise Also Includes Investment from Jenny Just and Reinvestment from Carmelo Anthony, Geno Auriemma, the Berman Family, Bessemer Venture Partners, Ashton Kutcher, Alex Morgan and Trybe Ventures, Dan Rosensweig and Trae Young –
– Core to the League’s Mission, Players Remain the League’s Largest Equity Group with Player Equity Pool Now Valued at nearly $200 Million –
MIAMI, Aug. 26, 2026 — Today, Unrivaled announced its Series C fundraise led by Ten Pillars Sports Fund (backed by UC Investments) has surpassed an initial $100 million target and is now oversubscribed at a league valuation of $650 million. Founded in 2023 by women’s basketball stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, Unrivaled was born from a shared vision to empower athletes as real stakeholders whose voices and ownership position shape the league’s direction and capitalize on its performance.
A key element of the league’s business model is its player-first compensation structure, which provides participating players with equity opportunities in addition to competitive salaries and benefits. As Unrivaled continues to scale, so too does its investment in its athletes, who remain the league’s largest shareholder group. Since the onset, the value of the player equity pool has increased more than 550% and is now worth close to $200 million.
“This raise is fueling the next stage of Unrivaled’s growth and expanding our impact across the women’s basketball ecosystem,” said Unrivaled CEO & Co-Founder Alex Bazzell. “We’re partnering with investors who share our vision to create lasting value and greater opportunity for the best players in the world, while continuing to elevate the game for fans. Unrivaled was built by players and for players, and their ownership, leadership and ambition continue to drive the league forward and define a new model for the sport.”
Unrivaled’s latest fundraise comes on the heels of a second season marked by significant growth across the business including in ticketing, merchandise, social and fan engagement, record-setting attendances, and continued expansion of the league’s digital ecosystem.
“The moment for women’s sports is here,” said Jagdeep Singh Bachher, UC Investments’ chief investment officer. “Young people get it. We get it. Anyone who’s watched Unrivaled knows this game is every bit as thrilling as any other sport out there. We’re excited to help propel that momentum forward.”
Unrivaled’s Series C Round includes but is not limited to investment from:
- Carmelo Anthony
- Geno Auriemma
- The Berman Family
- Bessemer Venture Partners
- Jenny Just
- Ashton Kutcher
- Alex Morgan and Trybe Ventures
- Dan Rosensweig
- Ten Pillars Sports Fund
- Trae Young
“We work across a range of different leagues and teams, and what Unrivaled has accomplished in just two years is truly unprecedented,” said Maddie Winslow, Director, Inner Circle Sports, a William Blair Business. “Unrivaled has been innovative from day one across every part of its business model, and they’ve backed their ambition with a real track record of execution which created incredible demand for this fundraise. The raise undoubtedly marks a significant chapter in the league’s accelerated growth trajectory.”
Unrivaled’s Series C fundraise builds on earlier investor momentum generated since its announcement in May 2024, including an oversubscribed Series B investment in September 2025 that increased the league’s valuation to $340 million. Early investors in Unrivaled include a notable list of institutional investors, industry titans, and sports legends including but not limited to Giannis Antetokounmpo and Build Your Legacy Ventures, Amy Banse, Dan Benton, Stephen Curry, Moira Forbes, Coco Gauff, Linda Henry, Tyus & Tre Jones, Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss, David Levy and Horizon Sports & Experiences, Next Legacy Partners, Amy Banse, Ann Sarnoff, Richard Sarnoff, John Skipper, Dawn Staley, Wanda and Alex Sykes, JuJu Watkins, Gary Vaynerchuk, and Warner Bros. Discovery.
“This raise reflects the confidence investors have in what we set out to build at Unrivaled: a league where the best players in the world have a real stake in the value they create,” said Unrivaled co-founder Breanna Stewart. “Moving forward, this investment gives us even more resources to support our players, elevate the experience for fans, and grow a league that is shaping the future of women’s basketball.”
This milestone follows a record-setting second season for the women’s basketball league earlier this year, in which it expanded to eight clubs and 54 players ahead of schedule. Unrivaled’s sophomore season also included major attendance records as the league took its product on the road for the first – and second – time, playing in front of sold-out crowds at both Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia and Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. As a testament to fan excitement around the league, Philly is Unrivaled presented by Xfinity set records for the highest attended regular season professional women’s basketball game and the highest attended event of all time at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
“From the beginning, our goal has been to raise the standard for what players and fans should expect from women’s basketball,” said Unrivaled co-founder Napheesa Collier. “This investment allows Unrivaled to keep pushing that standard higher, creating the best possible environment for players to compete and thrive, while making the experience bigger and better for the fans who continue to show up for women’s basketball.”
Unrivaled was represented in this fundraise by Inner Circle Sports. Unrivaled season three tips off in January 2027 and will air nationally across TNT Sports. For more information and to stay up to date with league news, visit unrivaled.basketball and follow @UnrivaledBasketball.
About Unrivaled:
Unrivaled is a professional women’s basketball league redefining the model for professional sports through athlete ownership, world-class competition and a player-first approach to building long-term enterprise value. Co-founded by basketball icons Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, Unrivaled provides participating players equity opportunities, aligning athletes directly with its growth and success. Since the league’s debut in 2025, Unrivaled has quickly emerged as one of the fastest-growing properties in sports, bringing together the world’s top women’s basketball players across eight clubs and delivering an innovative 3-on-3, compressed full-court style of play. With a rapidly expanding fan base, premier media and brand partnerships, and backing from leading institutional investors, sports legends, and business leaders, Unrivaled is building a new standard for how professional sports leagues are created, owned and scaled. To learn more, visit unrivaled.basketball or contact [email protected].
SOURCE Unrivaled
