The Unrivaled League has officially made its mark in the basketball world, gaining recognition all over the world with its smooth debut, while featuring stars like Angel Reese, the league has already set several records, solidifying its place as an exciting new addition to the sport. Reese, expected to play a pivotal role in shaping the league’s reputation, entered with high hopes. However, her journey so far has been surrounded by on-court struggles and an unexpected parallel to Hollywood’s high-profile failure.
The league made its debut on Friday, tipping off its opening night with solid viewership, drawing an average of 312,000 viewers for its Friday night doubleheader on TNT and truTV. The first game, featuring the Lunar Owls and the Mist, averaged 313,000 viewers—290,000 on TNT and 23,000 on truTV.
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The second matchup, featuring Angel Reese, saw the star make her highly anticipated debut with Rose BC, as she stepped onto the court with confidence, contributing 10 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 assists, showing off her versatility. Despite her strong performance, Rose BC came up short, losing 79-73 to Vinyl BC. Even with Reese’s efforts, the team couldn’t close the gap.
However, on the broadcast side, the evening was a success, until a comparison to one of the flop Hollywood projects was made. The game averaged 311,000 viewers—284,000 on TNT and 27,000 on truTV, with peak viewership at 364,000 during the thrilling conclusion of the first game, highlighting a strong start for the league and drawing significant attention from basketball fans.
TNT Sports, which hasn’t aired many women’s basketball games in the past, now boasts these two matchups as the company’s most-watched women’s hoops broadcasts to date. For context, during the same time slot last year, TNT aired Terminator: Dark Fate, which was one of the biggest box-office bombs of all time, losing $122.6 million. Despite that, it still managed to draw 343,000 viewers.
Despite her team’s struggles, Reese has remained in the spotlight much like Hollywood’s Terminator: Dark Fate, which grossed only $261.1 million but fell short of expectations. While the league has had a strong start, Reese has struggled.
Angel Reese’s early struggles in Unrivaled
Unrivaled hasn’t quite gone the way Angel Reese imagined. The WNBA star joined the 3×3 basketball league with high hopes, ready to take over the competition. But her rocky start has sparked some conversation, with many wondering if joining the league was the right choice for the forward.
For Reese, this situation feels all too familiar. Much like her time in the WNBA, her achievements haven’t translated into wins for her team. Even though she’s put up impressive numbers averaging 11 points, 10 rebounds, and 2.5 assists over two games—her team, Rose BC, still hasn’t managed to secure a win and remains at 0-2.
In her most recent game against the Lunar Owls, Reese played a crucial role, contributing 12 points, 6 rebounds, and an assist. Despite her solid performance, Rose BC came up short, losing 79-70. It’s a tough reminder of the challenge she faces in trying to turn strong individual efforts into wins for her team.
Rose BC will look to turn things around as they face Breanna Stewart’s Mist basketball club on Saturday. Despite Angel Reese’s standout efforts, her team is still in search of its first win. As the season moves forward, Reese will need to find a way to convert her success into team victories. With the league’s debut already drawing significant attention, there’s optimism that Rose BC, with Reese leading the charge, can find their rhythm.
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