Unrivaled, the professional women’s sports league presented by Samsung Galaxy, has announced the closing of its oversubscribed Series B investment round, led by Bessemer Venture Partners. The round brings the league’s valuation to $340 million—an extraordinary milestone for a startup league founded just two years ago. This latest funding round reflects growing investor confidence in Unrivaled’s athlete-first model and its potential to redefine the landscape of professional sports.
Joining Bessemer in the round are Serena Ventures, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Trybe Ventures, the investment firm founded by soccer star Alex Morgan. These returning investors are doubling down on their belief in Unrivaled’s mission and market momentum. The round also attracted new capital from prominent figures, including NBA All-Star Trae Young, University of Maryland President Darryll J. Pines and Sylvia Pines, sports executive Sam Rapoport, and Orlando Magic players Franz and Moritz Wagner. Next Legacy Partners also joined the round, adding to the league’s growing roster of strategic backers.
Unrivaled was launched in 2023 with a bold vision: to empower athletes not just as performers, but as stakeholders. The league offers the highest average salary in professional women’s sports history and includes equity ownership for players who participated in its inaugural season. As the league’s valuation climbs, those athletes directly benefit from an innovative compensation structure that aligns long-term growth with player success.
This Series B builds on a wave of investor enthusiasm that began last year, when Unrivaled secured funding from a wide array of industry leaders and cultural icons. Past investors include Giannis Antetokounmpo, Carmelo Anthony, Geno Auriemma, Stephen Curry, Coco Gauff, Billie Jean King, Ashton Kutcher, Michael Phelps, and many others. Their continued support underscores the league’s cultural relevance and its potential to reshape how sports leagues are built and sustained.
KEY QUOTES:
“We’re continuing to align with partners who elevate our league and accelerate our strategic growth. With Bessemer Venture Partners leading this round, Unrivaled is in an unprecedented position for a new sports league. Bessemer’s world-class leadership, combined with the collective influence of our entire investor group, amplifies our mission and pushes the industry forward. This rise in Unrivaled’s valuation reflects investor confidence and proves that athlete-driven models can thrive at the highest levels of business.”
Unrivaled President Alex Bazzell
“At Bessemer, we’ve had the privilege of backing many category-defining companies, and we believe Unrivaled is building the next great sports league. What impressed us most is the league’s outstanding business performance—achieving both rapid growth and impressive unit economics in its first year of operations—alongside its focus on both athlete advocacy and extraordinary fan engagement. We’re thrilled to partner with Unrivaled to take the league to the next level.”
Caty Rea, Vice President at Bessemer Venture Partners
