Unrivaled, the 3×3 women’s basketball league, is setting up shop in New England for the first time, bringing its 2027 season opener to Boston. This massive doubleheader event is scheduled for January 8, 2027, at TD Garden, tipping off at 7:30 p.m. ET. It’s a huge moment for women’s hoops in a city that’s seen some serious ups and downs lately when it comes to the sport.
The New Game in Town
This isn’t some fly-by-night operation. Unrivaled was founded by former UConn women’s basketball stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, so you know the talent level is gonna be insane. And after Boston missed out on a WNBA team, this feels like a serious score for the city’s hoops fans. Alex Bazzell, one of the Unrivaled cofounders and Collier’s husband, told the Boston Globe there’s “an appetite and there’s an opening to bring the best players in the sport to Boston.” He said establishing an “authentic relationship” with the city is “just a no-brainer.” General sale tickets go live Tuesday afternoon at 4 p.m. if you want to be there.
The league is seriously growing, too. After its debut 2025 season exclusively at Sephora Arena in Miami, Unrivaled expanded big last winter. They hit Philadelphia for a doubleheader event that absolutely smashed the attendance record for a regular-season women’s basketball game. Later that winter, they even hosted two semifinal matchups at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. They’re planning to visit eight cities across the United States during the 2027 season, including another doubleheader in Brooklyn at Barclays Center on January 22, also at 7:30 p.m. ET.
The WNBA Dream That Died
Boston has been itching for a WNBA team, hosting a Connecticut Sun game at TD Garden in each of the last three seasons. It looked like a lock, right? Former Boston Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca even led a push to purchase the Sun for a staggering $325 million. Think about that, $325 million for a women’s sports franchise! It would have been a record. But the WNBA reportedly blocked the sale, saying they have the final say on all team relocations and pointing out that Boston never formally submitted an expansion bid. Then, in a real gut punch, the league denied a bid to even *keep* the Sun in Connecticut, preferring a Houston-based team instead. The Mohegan Tribe cut a $300 million deal with Houston Rockets owner Tilman J. Fertitta in March, and that team starts play in Texas next season.
Just last month, the Sun played their final game at TD Garden. Sun veteran Olivia Nelson-Ododa, a former UConn forward, summed it up perfectly. She said she was “just glad that we could leave on such a high note” and that Boston had shown them “nothing but love for the past three seasons.” But she also called it “definitely bittersweet.” While cities like Philadelphia, Cleveland, and Detroit are all prepping for incoming expansion franchises, Boston’s WNBA future is still cloudy.
What’s Next for Boston Hoops
So while the WNBA has left Boston in the lurch, Unrivaled is stepping up to the plate, bringing top-tier 3×3 action straight to TD Garden. It’s a chance for the city to show that “appetite” for women’s basketball Bazzell mentioned. Mark your calendars for January 8th, because this doubleheader isn’t just a game; it’s a statement for women’s hoops in the city.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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