Today, Unrivaled announced it has teamed up with the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) and OneTeam Partners to expand commercial opportunities through both group licensing and sponsorship.
According to the press release, the partnership will look as follows:
• Unrivaled will compensate the WNBPA, recognizing and reinforcing the WNBPA rights
and collective value in the business of women’s basketball.
• The WNBPA will grant group player rights to Unrivaled to support the league’s long-term sponsorship and licensing business.
• OneTeam will serve as Unrivaled’s exclusive licensing agency in the trading card and
memorabilia categories, and its non-exclusive agency across other categories, driving
licensing opportunities and securing key sponsorships.
• The partnership launches with a licensing deal with The Realest—the next- generation authentication standard for sports and entertainment memorabilia—specifically for game-used items.
“Partnering with the WNBPA and OneTeam is a game-changing opportunity that greatly benefits our extraordinary fans and players. Working hand-in-hand will allow us to continue to build on the tremendous support we have experienced in Unrivaled’s inaugural season and also on the impressive upward trajectory of women’s basketball," said Micky Lawler, Commissioner of Unrivaled.
"We are always stronger together, and creating an environment to super-serve our fans is naturally positive for the athletes and for the sport overall.”
“This is the type of partnership that reflects what’s possible when players have ownership in the game. Unrivaled is innovating what a professional women’s basketball league can be, and by working together with OneTeam, we are ensuring that WNBA players’ rights are part of that vision. It’s about equity, opportunity, and long-term success for our players," added Terri Carmichael Jackson, Executive Director of the WNBPA.
Black Rosie Media secured an exclusive interview with Frank Arthofer, President of OneTeam Partners. To read more about this partnership, subscribe to the Women's Basketball Roundup, a Black Rosie Media newsletter.