The WNBA has slowly gained ground in the mainstream world as the competition and debate around it have grown, and Unrivaled might also follow suit. Napheesa Collier’s husband and Unrivaled’s CEO, Alex Bazzell, recently expressed his thoughts after reports suggested a dip in viewership for the newborn 3v3 women’s league.
Unrivaled, which was formed by WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart in 2023, attracted attention in its inaugural season. It averaged 221,000 views on TNT and peaked in the 1-on-1 finals at 377,000 views. However, the story has changed in the second season.
The new season began on January 5, 2026, but it witnessed an average of 172,000 views for two games on both TNT and truTV. The next set of games on January 9 averaged 139,000 viewers, a dip from the previous season, while four games on January 10 and 11 have received just an average of 71,000 viewers on truTV.
Talking about the fall in viewership, Bazzell told Front Office Sports:
“We’re building Unrivaled for the long game and we’re confident in our outlook, keeping in mind the same core principles and goals we set forth when establishing the league. We’re proud of the product we’re putting on the court each week and are going to continue growing our audience while showcasing the best women’s basketball players in the world. Leagues aren’t built overnight.”
In the inaugural season, people were intrigued by the new league and debates around the sport. Moreover, basketball fans had something to watch during the WNBA offseason. However, this time, the dates have clashed with the tight NFL schedule of the wildcard round and college football playoffs. That only exacerbated the situation.
“TV ratings are one thing for sure,” Unrivaled co-founder Breanna Stewart said of the fall in viewership
Alongside being the co-founder of Unrivaled, Breanna Stewart also plays for Mist club in the Unrivaled league. After her team’s 83-81 win over the Laces, Stewart was questioned about the league’s falling numbers on TV. She replied:
“TV ratings are one thing for sure. Obviously, you want them to be consistently high no matter if we play on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or Monday, and know that we have a space of our own here. In the league of sports, people aren’t typically used to seeing women’s professional basketball at this time unless you’re watching EuroLeague or something like that. So, ratings is a huge one.”
The real picture will be clearer after the season progresses. However, the start has not been great for them. As Alex Bazzell said, every league takes its course slowly and eventually gets the deserved attention.
Unrivaled also has to wait and be consistent before viewers get familiar with the concept and start to connect with the stars.
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