Unrivaled CEO responds to underwhelming early viewership

Unrivaled CEO Alex Bazzell addressed the disappointing viewership the 3x3 league has seen to this point.

Sep 14, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) looks on against the Golden State Valkyries in the second half during game one of round one for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

There has been a lot of chatter about the interest (or lack thereof) that Unrivaled has experienced to this point in their second season.

It was reported last week that Unrivaled's Opening Day slate of games on January 5 averaged 175,000 viewers during its primetime window. The afternoon window averaged 107,000. This is a stark contrast to the league averaging over 300,000 viewers for the first two games of its inaugural season in 2025, and suggests that interest in the 3x3 league has diminished.

Some fans tried to shrug off these underwhelming numbers by saying that the games took place on a Monday afternoon on most people's first day back from work after the New Year, which was always going to limit viewership.

Then it came out that the league's games on the night of Friday, January 9, averaged 139,000 viewers, which made it clear that timing was not a factor.

Mar 17, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Rose BC guard Brittney Sykes (20) talks to forward Azura Stevens (23) and guard Chelsea Gray (12) against the Vinyl BC during the third period of the Unrivaled Championship game at Wayfair Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

New York Liberty star and Unrivaled co-founder Breanna Stewart addressed ratings by saying, “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. 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.”

Unrivaled CEO Alex Bazzell speaks on early ratings return

And in a January 14 article from Annie Costabile of Front Office Sports, Unrivaled's CEO Alex Bazzell (who is the husband of Unrivaled co-founder and Minnesota Lynx star Naoheesa Collier) also made a statement in regard to the 2026 viewership.

“We’re building Unrivaled for the long game and we’re confident in our outlook, keeping in mind the same core principles and goals we set forth when establishing the league,” Bazzell tsaid in the article. “We’re proud of the product we’re putting on the court each week and are going to continue growing our audience while showcasing the best women’s basketball players in the world. Leagues aren’t built overnight.”

Unrivaled ratings saw a steep drop year over year across its opening week slate. As the league's second season continues, viewership will be a big factor in its sustainability. https://t.co/h2z75s1TaP

— Annie Costabile (@AnnieCostabile) January 14, 2026

There's still time for Unrivaled to turn intrigue around, and multiple factors (like the ongoing CBA negotiations) could be impacting fan interest. Yet, viewership declined as the 2025 season progressed, which suggests the same could happen this year.

Perhaps a new CBA getting ratified will jolt fan interest and provide a spike for Unrivaled in the coming weeks.