The details are coming together for the Unrivaled basketball startup league.
The 3×3 Women’s Hoops League announced Tuesday that it has signed a multi-year agreement with Under Armour to become its official uniform and equipment partner. This comes after the league announced a number of recent big-name signings and reached a media broadcast deal in October with TNT Sports.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Under Armour will provide all players, coaches and staff with apparel and accessories for both on and off the court.
“We are thrilled to partner with Unrivaled to outfit some of the best women’s basketball players in the world as they compete in this exciting new arena,” said Shawn Eggert, Under Armour’s senior vice president of global sports marketing.
The retailer said that all players who do not have an active footwear deal will have Under Armour basketball shoe options available. Under Armour will also give players the opportunity to create their own products.
Unrivaled will begin its first season on Jan. 17 in Miami. The league is positioning itself as a place for WNBA stars to play basketball in the United States during the offseason.
In the past, many WNBA players have had to travel overseas to play during the offseason to supplement their income. The starting salary in the WNBA is $64,154, according to ESPN.
Unrivaled has signed 36 top players, offering attractive financial incentives that include equity. The league said it is offering the highest average salaries in the history of a women’s professional sports league. It is backed by a number of investors.
The latest deal comes as Baltimore-based Under Armour is in the midst of a turnaround effort after founder Kevin Plank returned to the helm of the company in March. Former Marriott CEO Stephanie Linnarz had been in the role for just a year before being ousted; she became the second CEO the company has seen go in less than two years.