Unrivaled Players Praise Record Crowd at Philly Tour Stop

In PHILADELPHIA, the Unrivaled 3-on-3 league marked a historic milestone during its initial traveling event, attracting a crowd of 21,490 spectators to Xfinity Mobile Arena. This established a new attendance benchmark for a regular-season women’s professional basketball match, and also for any gathering ever hosted at the facility.

The unprecedented spectator count was publicized during the opening contest of Friday’s scheduled two-game event.

“It was truly incredible,” stated Napheesa Collier, a co-founder of the league. “The affection in the air tonight was palpable. I am so pleased that our event took place here. My words fall short in describing how utterly overwhelmed with happiness I felt. It was magnificent.”

Unrivaled’s two-day celebrations unfolded in Philadelphia, commencing with a communal gathering and training session on Thursday. Subsequently, on Friday, the Phantom emerged victorious over the Breeze with a score of 71-68, while the Lunar Owls bested the Rose 85-75.

“This is precisely what women’s basketball merits,” remarked Rose coach Nola Henry, commenting on the record attendance figures.

This competition represented the league’s initial appearance beyond Miami, the location for its eight-week season spanning from early January to early March. Furthermore, it constituted Philadelphia’s first professional women’s basketball fixture since 1998, a year that saw the Philadelphia Rage participate in the ABL. Philadelphia is slated to host a WNBA expansion franchise in 2030, at which point it will become the 18th team in that league.

Supporters gathered around the venue many hours prior to the game’s start, sporting either Unrivaled or WNBA apparel, and remained engaged throughout the three-hour spectacle. Noteworthy figures present at the event included renowned women’s basketball icon Dawn Staley, ex-NFL star Jason Kelce alongside his spouse Kylie, comedic talents Wanda Sykes and Leslie Jones, “Good Morning America” host Robin Roberts, and Philadelphia 76ers guard Kyle Lowry.

“This simply demonstrates the strength of what we are establishing and the profound faith people have in it,” Collier remarked concerning the attendance. “Therefore, for this city to turn out in such numbers, to establish a new record across all of women’s professional basketball tonight, and for Unrivaled to be at the center of it, I find it truly astounding. The path ahead for Unrivaled is limitless.”

Collier verified that the organization intends to conduct several roadshow events during the upcoming season; the specific locations and total count of these stops are yet to be disclosed.

Several athletes expressed their willingness for Unrivaled, currently in its second season, to further develop its traveling event framework.

“Witnessing such enthusiastic support from the spectators was fantastic,” commented Marina Mabrey, whose remarkable 47 points and 10 successful 3-pointers set an Unrivaled record and were a highlight of Friday’s events. “While I had some expectations, I hadn’t fully grasped the extent of the excitement and backing we would receive. … I believe visiting additional cities would be excellent, provided it remains practical for all involved in arranging these events.”

The Unrivaled season will recommence on Saturday in Miami, with the main part of the season extending until February and the post-season games scheduled for March 2 and March 4.