How Unrivaled Scored an Underdog Win...

Aiming for the future

The NIL program builds on the deals Unrivaled extended last year to both Johnson and UConn’s Paige Bueckers—who just played in her first All-Star Game as a rookie with the Dallas Wings. This year’s athletes will take part in a multi-day summit at Unrivaled headquarters in Miami with skill development activities, content and merchandise shoots, group sessions, and more. 

“This first-ever NIL Summit is a bold step forward for women’s sports, and we’re proud to power it with Galaxy mobile technology,” said Olga Suvorova, vp of mobile experience marketing at Samsung Electronics America. “This partnership reflects our commitment to innovation, equity, and shaping the future of women’s sports.”

A few hours after Unrivaled’s “The Future is Unrivaled” NIL announcement, the WNBA All-Star game began at Gainbridge Fieldhouse—about 10 blocks south of the Unrivaled space—with players wearing union-sponsored “Pay Us What You Owe Us” black shirts in reaction to unsatisfying talks with the league that kicked off All-Star Weekend on Thursday. Seeking a higher percentage of revenue and better working conditions, the players were led by their union’s seven-player executive committee—which includes Stewart and Collier as vice presidents.

After Collier scored a WNBA All-Star Game-record 36 points and accepted the MVP trophy in front of a crowd chanting “pay them,” she addressed reporters about the concessions she and her fellow players were fighting for. The average $220,000 salary paid to Unrivaled’s 36 players by sponsors, broadcasters, and investors is more than double the WNBA average ($102,000), and Unrivaled spent its time in Indianapolis convincing WNBA fans—if not the league itself—that a bit more is possible.

“We want people to understand that basically we get a very tiny percentage of all the money that’s made through the WNBA,” Collier said. “[It’s] made through the entertainment we provide, so we want a fair and reasonable percentage of that.”