Handmade Kentucky bourbon meets a trailblazing player led women\u2019s league in a multi year partnership.<\/p>\n
Maker\u2019s Mark<\/a> has been named the first Official Spirits Partner of Unrivaled<\/a> presented by Samsung Galaxy<\/a>.<\/p>\n The athlete\u2011founded, player\u2011owned women\u2019s basketball league is redefining the game as it heads into its second season in January 2026. Games will be played at Sephora Arena in Miami and Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.<\/p>\n Maker\u2019s Mark will \u201cbring the spirit of sport to life\u201d throughout the season with on\u2011site activations and branded experiences.<\/p>\n For Unrivaled co\u2011founder Napheesa Collier<\/a>, the partnership is rooted in a shared philosophy. \u201cWhat Maker’s Mark has done throughout its renowned history is exactly what Unrivaled aims to do. The aim is carving our own path to create something better and leaning into unreasonable ideas instead of shying away from them,\u201d said\u00a0Napheesa Collier, Unrivaled Co\u2011Founder. \u201cThat’s what makes Maker’s Mark a perfect fit as our first Official Spirits Partner. We’re grateful for their support in our continued pursuit of making the unreasonable a reality for women’s basketball.”<\/p>\n From the bourbon side,\u00a0Rob Samuels<\/a>, eighth\u2011generation whisky maker and Managing Director at Maker\u2019s Mark, drew a direct line between his grandparents\u2019 vision and Unrivaled\u2019s approach.<\/p>\n \u201cMaker’s Mark founders\u00a0 my grandparents broke with tradition to reimagine what bourbon could be a perfectly unreasonable spirit that endures today. Beginning with co-founders Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, Unrivaled shares that same spirit. We’re delighted to shine a light on their community of players who prioritize passion and purpose on and off court.”<\/p>\n As part of the multi\u2011year deal, Unrivaled ticketholders will be able to interact with Maker\u2019s Mark in select hospitality spaces. They will also enjoy specialty cocktails inspired by the league. At Sephora Arena in Miami, the brand will take over a new VIP Loge Box, turning it into an immersive Maker\u2019s Mark environment for premium guests.<\/p>\n Outside the arena, Maker\u2019s Mark will feature in Unrivaled\u2019s pre\u2011game Fan Fest at select games. There, fans can enjoy games, photo ops, exclusive merch and activations \u201cin Unrivaled style.\u201d Inside both arenas, the brand will appear via broadcast\u2011visible signage and displays.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, 30\u2011second spots will run on media partners including TNT<\/a> and truTV<\/a> throughout the regular season and playoffs. Those ads will highlight the new \u201cPerfectly Unreasonable\u201d global campaign, which celebrates going to \u201cunreasonable lengths\u201d in both life and bourbon. Custom content will also appear on Bleacher Report.<\/p>\n \u201cThis partnership brings together two brands that have challenged convention with an independent and generous spirit. They aim to create something truly new and compelling for their category,\u201d stated Regan Clarke, U.S. Vice President of American Whiskey Brands, Suntory Global Spirits. \u201cWe’re thrilled to bring the dynamic energy of Unrivaled to life for basketball and bourbon fans alike. Whether they’re enjoying the game in the arena or tuning in to watch with friends over a Maker’s Mark cocktail.”<\/p>\n The announcement lands just ahead of Unrivaled\u2019s highly anticipated 2026 season, tipping off January 5 in Miami. Building on a breakthrough inaugural year, the league returns with two new clubs and a redesigned arena with expanded fan sections. This includes its first tour stop in Philadelphia, broader national broadcast coverage with a fourth night of games, new brand partners and an even deeper roster of stars.<\/p>\n Together, Unrivaled and Maker\u2019s Mark plan to offer their communities exclusive content and benefits. These include nearby bar activations, signature cocktail recipes, and digital storytelling around players and fans. Those interested can learn more at makersmark.com\/unrivaled-announcement.<\/p>\n Alternatively, they can follow @makersmark<\/a> and @unrivaledbasketball<\/a> on Instagram to track how this \u201cperfectly unreasonable\u201d partnership evolves on and off the court.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Handmade Kentucky bourbon meets a trailblazing player led women\u2019s league in a multi year partnership. A First of…","protected":false},"author":219894229,"featured_media":19966,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","pad_hide_post_author":"","csco_display_header_overlay":false,"csco_singular_sidebar":"","csco_page_header_type":"","csco_page_load_nextpost":"","csco_post_video_location":[],"csco_post_video_location_hash":"","csco_post_video_url":"","csco_post_video_bg_start_time":0,"csco_post_video_bg_end_time":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1408,1460,1540,1455],"tags":[2430,3297,3237,2431],"class_list":{"0":"post-19965","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-business","8":"category-lifestyle","9":"category-news","10":"category-sports","11":"tag-makers-mark","12":"tag-unrivaled-basketball","13":"tag-unrivaled-basketball-league","14":"tag-unrivaled-league","15":"cs-entry","16":"cs-video-wrap"},"yoast_head":"\nShared Values: Challenging Tradition and \u201cUnreasonable\u201d Ideas<\/strong><\/h3>\n
In Arena Experiences and Signature Cocktails<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Why This Partnership Matters for Basketball and Bourbon<\/strong><\/h3>\n