This last weekend, I was lucky enough to have secured tickets to the inaugural season of Unrivaled, the new 3v3 Pro Women’s basketball league that has taken over Miami, Florida. It was an amazing experience, and Unrivaled is truly trailblazing and setting the tone for how Women’s sports and, frankly, sports in general should be enjoyed or viewed. Here, I give my grades and a breakdown of the fan experience, area location, and comfortability, among other aspects of the entire two days spent taking in the historical Unrivaled adventure.
Parking/Location: Grade – (A)
Everyone has been stuck in situations trying to go to a sporting event where parking is extremely expensive, and you are sitting in long lines and waiting to enter or leave the structure for what seems like hours. Well, Unrivaled has, at least at this point, cured those. It’s in a fantastic and easy area to get. There was plenty of parking, and it was a breeze paying and getting to a spot. Walking from the parking lot was no more than, at best, 20-30 steps from your vehicle to the entrance.
Outside Arena/First Impression: Grade – (A)
While the Unrivaled is a fantastic experience, the party of occasion starts literally as you enter the entrance. After getting your tickets scanned, which also happens super quickly and easily, you are immediately met with games, photo booths, music playing, and people who are ready to greet you with a smile.
Concessions/Speed and Effectiveness: Grade – (A-)
Another strong aspect of outside the arena was the food and drinks were right there waiting as you first entered the venue area. There were very few lines and even the lines that were there got through everyone in a hurry, and no real issues with the service or amounts for the food or drinks. The only small suggestion I would maybe have is maybe having more of a variety of drinks, cocktails, or food options, but I want to make clear that is a very small detail that didn’t affect my experience in the slightest.
Merch Available (At this time): Grade – (B)
Now, if there is anything that left me feeling like I wanted a little something more, but in the best way possible, it would be the available merchandise. First, I want to say that when you entered the arena store, it was spacious and easy to move around and see the different options for purchase. They had t-shirts for all ages and sizes, sweatshirts, shocks, and hats, as well as every single one of the six teams was represented with merch. The only thing is I wanted to spend more money on a team jersey. At the time I was able to attend Unrivaled games (February 21-22), there were no jerseys available for purchase. The demand and desire for jerseys were a pretty big discussion topic all weekend, and they will fly off the shelves once they are available.
Seating/Views: Grade – (A+)
While there is a massive demand and almost every game is going to sell out, the arena was one of the best aspects of the Unrivaled experience. It’s an 850-seat arena, and not to sound too cliché, but there truly was no bad seat in the house. You felt like you were hanging with a bunch of your closest friends, and you could see the entire court and everything going on in the arena like the big boards, introductions, and famous people who were strolling around in the crowd.
In-Arena Vibes: Grade – (A+)
I feel like describing the environment the entire time you are in the arena as a party does not do it justice for how entertaining, exciting, and enjoyable the vibes are from the moment you walk in till the time you leave. The music from the DJ is always keeping the crowd ready to go. You have what we will describe as the hype crew getting the fans involved or invested in the game. They allow fans to vote on the next songs coming up, and they get both teams to have their specific team chant going during free throws or timeouts. The energy never dips below excited for a single second when you are there.
Gameplay: Grade – (A+)
Come on, this surprises no one when it comes to how the play on the court was in Unrivaled. These are the best of the best in women’s basketball right now, and these ladies put on a show each and every time they lace up the shoes. However, it was that you could feel and see that the players were playing with intensity, including picking up a technical or two, but you could also see the entertainment and personalities that make the women’s game and basketball so easy to cheer for as a fan. They’re funny, they’re talented, and they will keep you captivated every second.
On a personal note, as a massive Minnesota Lynx fan, getting to see four Lynx players playing basketball in person before the May start of the 2025 season was almost worth the price of admission alone.
Overall Grade: (A++++)
To wrap it up, plain and simple, I urge you to attend Unrivaled. Everything was memorable and exciting, and you truly feel like you are a part of history in the making while you are there. Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart truly thought of everything in turning Unrivaled from a dream to a reality. Whether this year or one of the hopefully many seasons the league has, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will never forget. It reminded me of why I fell in love with women’s basketball and basketball in general. Lastly, I want to give one last tip of the cap and congratulations to Unrivaled for thriving and showing exactly how a women’s league can and should operate. From the company I was with, to the memories and experiences I had, the weekend can only be summed up with one word and feeling…. Unrivaled.
