The Unrivalled season 2 is keeping the basketball fans engaged amid the chaos around the WNBA’s CBA discussions. The players are putting up record-breaking performances on the floor in the season’s first week. Even without Sabrina Ioenscu, Napheesa Collier, and Angel Reese in the league this season, new players like Paige Bueckers and Cameron Brink are keeping the excitement level high.
While these are very encouraging signs for league owners, the TV ratings are somewhat concerning for business. As per their response, though, they are least concerned about the ratings.
Unrivaled League Not Bothered By Dip In Viewership Numbers
Investors seek ROI (Return on Investment). In sports, TV ratings determine sponsorship deals and their sustainability. While the initial reports on the Unrivalled viewership are discouraging, the founders’ primary aim is to provide a space for hoopers to stay in the United States and benefit from the facilities.
Even though the numbers were not very encouraging, the Unrivalled Commissioner earlier spoke about a possible partnership with the WNBA, indicating the league’s approach to the growth of Women’s sport.
NEW: Unrivaled's opening weekend ratings are down significantly from last year, with viewership averaging:
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) January 14, 2026
– 175,000 across TNT and TruTV on Jan. 5
– 139,000 across TNT and TruTV on Jan. 9
– 71,000 on TruTV on Jan. 10-11
– 32,000 on TruTV on Jan. 5
Similarly, when Breanna Stewart faced a question about viewership, she didn’t sound worried about the numbers. “Obviously, we want them to be consistently high no matter if we play on Friday or Saturday, Sunday or Monday, and know that we have a space of our own here and in the league of sports,” Stewart said. “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.”
Scroll to continue reading
Trending WNBA News
While the co-founder has a valid point, many other factors are contributing to the dip in numbers.
Factors Affecting Unrivaled’s Viewership
There are two interesting aspects about the TV ratings in reality. First and foremost, the viewership numbers from Nielsen are for TNT and truTV and do not include HBO Max, where the actual Unrivalled fan base tunes in. Still, the owners must agree to the dip in number, as this was the case last season, too.
The second major factor affecting the ratings is the overlap with the NFL and College basketball seasons. While these two sporting events attract huge viewership, the Unrivaled survived, retaining a massive fanbase.
Moreover, WNBA fans criticize Unrivaled’s weekday game times during work hours, which spark outrage. This highlights that the craze among fans remains intact, as the league might work around scheduling in the upcoming seasons.