Unrivaled breaks women's basketball attendance record in Philadelphia tour stop

The three-on-three professional women's basketball league drew a record 21,490 fans for its first tour stop outside of its Florida home arena.

Jan. 30, 2026 at 8:31pm

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Unrivaled, a professional three-on-three women's basketball league, broke the attendance record for a regular-season women's basketball game when it drew 21,490 fans to its inaugural tour stop at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on Friday night. The previous record was 20,711 for a WNBA game in 2024. Unrivaled, which is in its second season, has previously only played at its home arena in Medley, Florida, but plans to make touring a regular part of its schedule going forward.

Why it matters

The record-breaking attendance in Philadelphia is a significant milestone for the growing Unrivaled league, which has seen a decline in TV ratings to start the 2026 season but is seeing increases in digital audience, merchandise sales, and revenue. The tour stop in a new market without an existing women's basketball fanbase demonstrates the league's ability to attract new fans and expand its reach.

The details

Unrivaled chose Philadelphia as its first tour stop in part because several of its investors, including Wanda Sykes, Dawn Staley, and Geno Auriemma, have ties to the city. The league also saw an opportunity to bring professional women's basketball to a new market, as Philadelphia has not had a women's basketball team since the ABL's Philadelphia Rage in 1998. The WNBA plans to return to Philadelphia with an expansion team in 2030.

  • Unrivaled broke the women's basketball attendance record on Friday, January 30, 2026.
  • The previous attendance record of 20,711 was set for a WNBA game on September 19, 2024.

The players

Alex Bazzell

The president of Unrivaled, the professional three-on-three women's basketball league.

Wanda Sykes

An investor in Unrivaled and a comedian and actress.

Dawn Staley

An investor in Unrivaled and the head coach of the University of South Carolina women's basketball team.

Geno Auriemma

An investor in Unrivaled and the head coach of the University of Connecticut women's basketball team.

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What they’re saying

“It speaks to the names of the players we have in our league. The popularity, the sport is skyrocketing, the platform is finally there. We're just excited to have an extremely diehard fan base.”

— Alex Bazzell, President of Unrivaled

“We want to go to numerous cities, making sure that we're serving the fans, but also not certainly changing the entire DNA of who we are. Players don't want to be traveling every single game, but you like going to a different atmosphere and feeling the energy of a city and getting out there. To have a packed house tonight, (for) every player, it's what you want to do. You want to play in front of a sold-out crowd.”

— Alex Bazzell, President of Unrivaled

What’s next

Unrivaled plans to make touring a regular part of its schedule, expanding to more cities next season in 2027, while still maintaining its hub in Medley, Florida.

The takeaway

The record-breaking attendance in Philadelphia demonstrates the growing popularity of Unrivaled and women's basketball, as the league continues to attract new fans and expand its reach beyond its Florida home base.