The Unrivaled League has a chance to shine a unique spotlight on women’s basketball in the coming years. WNBA legend, Sue Bird, spoke about her excitement regarding the new 3-on-3 competition, even comparing some aspects of the new league with her time as a professional. The 44-year-old credited former ESPN President, John Skipper, for helping build the space for rising athletes to grow.
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Bird lauded Skipper for transitioning into the world of women’s basketball by getting involved with Unrivaled. The 13-time All-Star spoke about his focus on the arena, stating,
“I listened to [Skipper] talk publicly about how the focus of the arena isn’t gonna be on ticket sales.”
Bird underlined how the arena only holds 800 to 900 people, so while there will be fans filling the seats, the focus will be on the product for the television viewer.
Bird gushed over the arena’s court layout, comparing it to games played in the Bubble:
“Actually, [the arena] reminded me of the Bubble. The Bubble had way less bells and whistles, way less lighting. But the one thing I thought of was it was actually easier, in my opinion, to shoot the ball in the Bubble.”
Bird stated that because the Bubble didn’t feature a full-sized arena, depth perception didn’t pose as much of an issue when taking jumpers.
If it’s easier for players to knock down long-range threes in the smaller Unrivaled arena, it could help boost the league’s entertainment value. Considering the league’s emphasis on TNT broadcast rights, Unrivaled would undoubtedly benefit from more consistent offensive production.
The Unrivaled League is setting up women’s hoops for success
Marketed as a “customized sports league,” Unrivaled came together quickly, as the venture turned a production studio and empty parking lot into a luxurious basketball venue in just six weeks. In the first behind-the-scenes tour of the arena, Unrivaled revealed all of the “bells and whistles” that Bird was referring to. Plush seating, gargantuan LED boards, a rail cam, a version of a red carpet known as a “Hype Hall,” a weight facility and a glam room designed by its newest sponsor, Sephora, are all premium additions to the new arena.
The league brought in over $35 million in funding in order to hit the ground running. Unrivaled’s tour included a peek at the bowels of the arena that feature an esthetician room for facials and skin care, rooms for family, a nursery and nursing, a 3,000-square-foot weight room, a content room for podcasts and interviews and four upscale locker rooms with power strips at every cubicle.
The venue reportedly features only 850 seats, but the furthest is just 32 feet from the court, meaning even the “nosebleed” seats will have an excellent view. The Unrivaled dream came to life in under two months. The season begins on January 17.
