When Unrivaled secured a multi‑year partnership with Maker’s Mark, it marked more than a category first for the upstart women’s basketball league. It underscored how increased visibility, attendance and sponsor confidence across women’s sports are opening doors that once remained closed, particularly for spirits brands.
Unrivaled announced the deal in December, naming Maker’s Mark as its first official spirits partner. The partnership comes as women’s sports sponsorships continue to grow at a faster pace than men’s leagues, driven by rising media exposure, cultural relevance and clearer returns for brands.
According to SponsorUnited’s 2024‑25 Women in Sports Marketing Partnerships report, sponsorship deals across women’s sports grew 12% year over year, outpacing the 8% growth seen across men’s professional leagues. Alcohol has emerged as one of the fastest‑growing sponsorship categories in women’s sports, with spirits playing a significant role in that expansion.
For Unrivaled, a player‑owned league co‑founded by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, the partnership reflects how quickly the commercial landscape has shifted since the league’s launch.
“Women’s sports, and particularly women’s basketball, are shaping today’s cultural conversation,” said Regan Clarke, U.S. vice president of American Whiskey Brands at Suntory Global Spirits. “The viral ‘Everyone Watches Women’s Sports’ reflects a fundamental shift driven by athletes, coaches and organizations who are expanding the game’s influence.”
Clarke said Unrivaled stood out because of its early traction and its athlete‑centered business model.
“As we looked at where to enter sports for the first time as a league partner, Unrivaled stood out,” she said. “It reflects how women’s basketball has evolved into a credible and scalable platform for brands.”
The league has already produced measurable results. In February, Unrivaled drew 21,490 fans for its inaugural Philadelphia tour stop, setting a new attendance record for a professional women’s basketball regular‑season game. The milestone reinforced the league’s value to sponsors evaluating women’s sports as a viable commercial investment.
Spirits brands follow profitability and growth in women’s sports
Unrivaled’s spirits deal is part of a broader shift across professional sports, as liquor brands increasingly pursue partnerships that were once dominated by beer companies.
For decades, hard‑liquor sponsorships faced stricter league regulations and cultural resistance, particularly in major men’s leagues. Those barriers have eased in recent years, and spirits brands have expanded their presence through premium activations, responsible‑drinking initiatives and cocktail‑driven fan experiences.
Women’s sports have emerged as an especially attractive entry point.
SponsorUnited data shows spirits sponsorships are the fastest‑growing alcohol subcategory in women’s sports, accounting for more than one‑third of year‑over‑year growth within alcohol deals. The increase has been most pronounced in tennis, golf and soccer, where younger audiences, strong social engagement and lifestyle‑driven branding align with premium spirits positioning.
Industry analysts say the appeal lies not only in audience growth, but in audience composition. Fans of women’s sports skew younger, more diverse and more digitally engaged, demographics that spirits brands are actively targeting as consumption habits evolve.
Fast Company reported that major spirits companies such as Diageo and Pernod Ricard are increasingly using sports partnerships to move beyond traditional advertising, emphasizing experiential marketing and branded cocktails. In women’s sports, those strategies have often been easier to execute due to fewer legacy restrictions and a greater willingness by leagues to experiment with new sponsorship categories.
The result has been a wave of first‑time partnerships, as brands test the commercial upside of women’s sports while securing early positioning in a still‑developing marketplace.
“What we’re seeing now is brands moving earlier, not later,” SponsorUnited CEO Bob Lynch said in the company’s annual report. “They’re trying to establish a foothold before the market fully matures.”
Maker’s Mark activation focused on experience rather than exposure
Within that broader trend, Maker’s Mark’s presence with Unrivaled was structured around hospitality and fan engagement rather than traditional signage‑heavy sponsorship.
As part of the partnership, Maker’s Mark was integrated into select hospitality areas for Unrivaled ticketholders, offering specialty cocktails inspired by the league. The brand also participated in Unrivaled’s pre‑game Fan Fest, a one‑time outdoor activation designed to bring fans together ahead of tipoff.
At Fan Fest, Maker’s Mark featured interactive experiences and signature serves, including the Unrivaled Sour made with Maker’s Mark Classic and blackberry, and the Full Court Espresso Martini featuring Maker’s Mark 46 and espresso. Inside the arena, the brand’s presence extended to premium spaces such as the Founder’s Lounge, a reimagined VIP Loge Box intended to carry pre‑game momentum into the game experience.
Clarke said the approach reflected how spirits brands are adapting to women’s sports environments.
“This was not about flooding the arena with logos,” she said. “It was about showing up in a way that fit how fans experienced the game socially, culturally and communally.”
She added that the partnership aligned with Unrivaled’s broader positioning as a league built around athlete investment and fan connection.
“With co‑founders Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier at the helm, Unrivaled embodies a bold, ‘Perfectly Unreasonable’ spirit,” Clarke said. “That mindset of rethinking how a league is built is part of why this partnership resonated.”
For Unrivaled, the deal reinforced how quickly women’s sports have shifted from emerging opportunity to proven business. As sponsorship dollars follow visibility, attendance and engagement, leagues like Unrivaled are no longer selling potential. They are demonstrating performance.
