The CBA agreement is still nowhere in sight. The WNBA and the players’ union have been at it for months now, and the latest proposals are still too far apart to generate hope for a resolution in the immediate future. Amidst all this noise about the CBA negotiations and rising tensions over the possibility of a delayed WNBA season, Unrivaled President Alex Bazzell stepped in with a timely dose of reassurance.

On the ‘We Need To Talk’ podcast, Bazzell said, “I think we have an obligation to try to help continuously grow the sport. You know, the WNBA is taking off. They’re in 15 markets starting next year, soon to be 18, but there’s still a lot of cities that don’t really get to experience these players up close and personal, which means there’s a lot of young athletes and young girls that don’t ever get to feel them and see them up close and personal…We’re already in deep dialogue with a number of different cities and venues, and you know, our goal for next year is to be, you know, six stops or above. So, we’re working on that in real time.”

A few people had earlier pointed out the potential of Unrivaled emerging as a competitor for the WNBA in the future if needed. However, Alex Bazzell’s statement quashes such suggestions, with the league president comfortably clarifying that they plan to continue operating during the offseason.

The gap in Women’s Basketball which Bazzell is pointing towards has been the lack of offseason playing options within the United States for players. The rise of Unrivaled and AU Pro Basketball has now provided an alternative to international basketball during the offseason.

The WNBA and the players’ union are not seeing eye-to-eye currently on primary CBA terms like revenue sharing and the salary cap. However, the latest WNBA CBA proposal has divided players, with ESPN reporting that the primary concern for a few was housing, which the latest proposal addresses.

To add to it, there is growing concern that the players’ union is perhaps demanding too much at once, and that a common ground could be found by lowering the demands, which could be revised as we move ahead in the next few years.

Alex Bazzell Details Unrivaled’s Growth Strategy After Breakout Philadelphia Stop

Unrivaled Basketball chose to go big in their second season with their first-ever tour stop in Philadelphia. The stop was a huge success, with unprecedented fan turnout. Over 20,000 fans attended Unrivaled’s first tour stop to watch their favorite players take the court during the offseason.

The fact that Philadelphia doesn’t have an WNBA franchise would have definitely contributed to the huge turnout for Unrivaled. And, the league president is well aware of the opportunity to tap into such markets. Alex Bazzell revealed that the league is already in talks with different cities and venues for the next season, with plans to increase the stops to at least six for the third iteration.

Alex Bazzell also highlighted that they aim to strike a balance between catering to the markets that are pillars for Women’s Basketball, and tap into these new markets that should provide them an edge, like the Philadelphia tour stop this season.

The Unrivaled regular season is currently on a short break as the 1-on-1 tournament takes center stage. The regular season will culminate in the playoffs in early March, and it will be interesting to see how the league continues to develop its product.