The opening doubleheader slate of games for Unrivaled Basketball, the new three-on-three women’s basketball league, averaged 312,000 viewers on TNT and truTV. The first game between the Lunar Owls and Mist averaged 313,000 viewers, while the backend of the doubleheader with the Vinyl and Rose drew 311,000 viewers. Viewership peaked during the first game in the 8:15 p.m. EST quarter-hour with 364,000 viewers. Moreover, the matchups were the two most-watched women’s basketball games to ever air on TNT Sports platforms.
This marks the first broadcast under a six-year media rights deal between the league and Warner Bros. Discovery reportedly worth $100 million. TNT and truTV are broadcasting Unrivaled Basketball games during the season, airing on Warner Bros. Discovery platforms on Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays. The first night of games featured several WNBA stars, including co-founders Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, along with Rhyne Howard, Aliyah Boston and Angel Reese.
According to Jon Lewis of Sports Media Watch, the opening games outpaced the average WNBA regular-season game viewership on cable by 50% excluding those featuring Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark. The WNBA garnered an average of 657,000 viewers for its regular-season matchups, including 22 games that attained an average surpassing 1 million viewers. The company airs these broadcasts as it prepares to lose U.S. live game rights to the National Basketball Association at the conclusion of the season.
TNT Sports announced the on-air talent taking part in broadcasts of Unrivaled Basketball prior to the first matchup, featuring a game crew of Brendan Glasheen, Lisa Leslie and Sarah Kustok. The team will be joined by a rotation of sideline reporters, some of whom include Taylor Rooks, Allie LaForce, Stephanie Ready and Ros Gold-Onwude. Leslie will also take part in studio coverage for select broadcasts with Candace Parker, Renee Montgomery and Lauren Jbara.
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