The only flag flying high in the sky is that of Unrivaled’s at the moment. The league recorded massive attendance at its first visit to Philadelphia and will now play its semifinal games in Brooklyn. This expansion showcases the demand for women’s basketball. On the other end, WNBA, which set the first stone of a major Women’s basketball league, is looking to settle the CBA terms, in its 30th anniversary.
The gap seems huge, and comparisons are obvious as the newly found league overtakes the established league in popularity, like a rookie taking over a multiple-championship-winning veteran in basketball terms. So there is pressure on the league for sure, who will have to act fast and put their experience to full use.
Unrivaled’s Success Putting Pressure On WNBA
The 3-on-3 league is using opportunities to expand in WNBA cities, banking on existing fan bases. But Philadelphia is a new avenue for the Women’s basketball league, and succeeding there, the Unrivaled proved its popularity surge.
Moreover, the Unrivaled’s announcement of the prize money highlights the commercial challenges the league is facing and passing on to the players. The Unrivaled championship prize pool is $600K, for the four teams, while the WNBA Prize pool is $500,000 for the 2025 season. This pool is for all eight playoff teams, with the winners taking the largest share.
The road to playoffs begins February 28th 👑
— Unrivaled Basketball (@Unrivaledwbb) February 13, 2026
First Round ➡️ MIAMI
Semifinals ➡️ BROOKLYN
Championship ➡️ MIAMI pic.twitter.com/rYeTVyWg3T
The league will try to close the gap in the coming season, as Project B and other leagues are also looking to capitalize on the momentum of Women’s basketball to build and expand their fan bases.
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First and foremost, for the WNBA, though, is getting CBA terms in line. The league is under pressure from all sides: players seeking their demands, stakeholders pursuing their own interests, broadcasters already releasing teasers, and, above all, fans looking for answers. There is good news from the Unrivaled Co-owner on this progress.
Breanna Stewart Provides Positive Update On CBA
Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier received the Innovators of the Year award for their Unrivaled league. But both stars also hold the vice president post in WNBPA, negotiating with the league over the CBA. Though updates on the discussions have been very discouraging so far, the Liberty star offers a ray of hope for fans.
She said, “The CBA proposal that we got, there’s movement. We got traction. We’re finally headed in a direction. So I’m excited. I’m excited to hopefully negotiate back, and really kind of do the negotiations.”
Breanna Stewart says there's momentum after the players' and WNBA's face-to-face meeting 👀 pic.twitter.com/kZT1Ytc7TZ
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) February 12, 2026
With the date for the next season already set, both parties need to act fast to meet the ‘ultimate’ deadline.