Unrivaled closes $100m+ Series C at $650 million valuation as player equity pool nears $200 million 🏀
Women's basketball league Unrivaled has raised more than $100 million in an oversubscribed Series C at a $650 million valuation, up from $340 million following its Series B in September 2025. The round was led by Ten Pillars Sports Fund, backed by UC Investments, with additional investors including Jenny Just, Carmelo Anthony, Geno Auriemma, Bessemer Venture Partners, Alex Morgan and Trae Young. Players collectively remain the league's largest shareholder group, with the value of Unrivaled's player equity pool up more than 550% since inception and now worth nearly $200 million. The capital will support continued league expansion, with season three set to begin in January 2027 on TNT Sports.
“This raise is fueling the next stage of Unrivaled’s growth and expanding our impact across the women’s basketball ecosystem. We’re partnering with investors who share our vision to create lasting value and greater opportunity for the best players in the world, while continuing to elevate the game for fans. Unrivaled was built by players and for players, and their ownership, leadership and ambition continue to drive the league forward and define a new model for the sport.”
— Alex Bazzell, CEO & Co-Founder, Unrivaled
BMO renews multi-year partnership with Northern Super League ⚽
BMO has renewed its multi-year partnership with Canada's Northern Super League, continuing as Official Bank and Presenting Sponsor of NSL broadcasts across all platforms. The renewal builds on the league's record-breaking debut season, 275,000 fans, C$30 million in revenue, 16 national sponsors and 3 million TSN viewers, and expands the partnership's legacy programming, including BMO Next Gen, which selects one aspiring female sports media student annually for mentorship and exclusive access to NSL media days and the Championship Final. The renewal also extends BMO's broader women's soccer commitment alongside a recently announced partnership with Canada Soccer.
“This raise is fueling the next stage of Unrivaled’s growth and expanding our impact across the women’s basketball ecosystem. We’re partnering with investors who share our vision to create lasting value and greater opportunity for the best players in the world, while continuing to elevate the game for fans. Unrivaled was built by players and for players, and their ownership, leadership and ambition continue to drive the league forward and define a new model for the sport.”
— Catherine Roche, Chief Marketing Officer & Head, North American Personal & Business Banking Marketing, BMO
Gillian Anderson invests in Crux Football's women's multi-club ownership vehicle ⚽
Actor Gillian Anderson has invested in Crux Football, the Europe-based women's football multi-club ownership group that holds stakes in French side Montpellier and Swedish club FC Rosengård. Anderson joins a growing investor roster that includes Abby Wambach, Julie Foudy, Ali Krieger, Leslie Osborne and Sue Bird. Founded by Bex Smith, Crux was built around a community of investors who bring diverse backgrounds and a shared belief in the commercial and social potential of women's football.
eToro signs multi-year partnership with Leeds United Women as part of female investor push ⚽
eToro has become the Official Trading Partner of Leeds United, covering both the men's and women's teams from the 2026/27 season. For Leeds Women, the deal includes pitch-side LED branding, stadium screens and interview backdrops at Elland Road, alongside digital content and supporter activations. Notably, eToro has explicitly framed the women's team partnership around its "Loud Investing" initiative, an effort to make investing more visible and accessible to women, who remain statistically less likely to invest than men. The deal extends eToro's growing women's sport footprint alongside existing partnerships with Nottingham Forest Women, Crystal Palace Women and Premiership Women's Rugby.
TMG Financial Services becomes back-of-shirt sponsor for Rotherham United Women 👕
TMG Financial Services, a Rotherham-headquartered mortgage and later-life lending firm, has signed a shirt sponsorship deal with Rotherham United Women, with its branding appearing on the back of the first team and Under-23 shirts. The partnership reflects TMG's local community roots and supports Rotherham United Women's plans to expand opportunities for women and girls in the area.
“We’re incredibly proud to see the TMG Financial Services name on the back of the Rotherham United Women shirt. TMG has grown into a major financial services business, but Rotherham remains our home and our community is a huge part of who we are. For us, this isn’t simply putting TMG FS on the back of a football shirt. It’s a Rotherham business investing back into Rotherham and helping create opportunities for the next generation of women and girls.”
— Ava Jones, Head of Operations, TMG Financial Services
Destination Sport named official travel provider for Netball World Cup Sydney 2027 🏐
Destination Sport Travel has been appointed as Official Tournament Travel Provider for the Netball World Cup Sydney 2027, running 25 August to 5 September 2027. Operating from its Oceania headquarters in Sydney, Destination Sport will manage flights, accommodation and ground transportation for 16 competing teams, officials and international guests. The tournament introduces a new Cup and Plate competition structure to maximise team engagement and commercial value throughout the event.
“We are delighted to be appointed as the Official Tournament Travel Provider for the Netball World Cup Sydney 2027. This is a hugely significant event for the sport and a fantastic opportunity for our team in Sydney to support the delivery of a world-class tournament on home soil. Our role is to ensure that teams, officials and guests are supported by a seamless, reliable and high-quality travel operation from start to finish."
— Emma Wood, Head of Destination Sport Travel
