Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center became the center of women’s basketball on Friday night as Unrivaled staged its first games outside Florida and drew a crowd that rewrote the record books.
The 3-on-3 league’s road debut pulled in 21,490 fans, surpassing the previous regular-season attendance record of 20,711 set on Sept. 19, 2024, when the Indiana Fever faced the Washington Mystics. The turnout filled the arena with sustained energy that carried from pregame introductions through both contests.
For Unrivaled, the night doubled as a test of its touring model. The eight-team league, built around a fast-paced 3-on-3 format and averaging 92,000 viewers on TNT in its second season, had operated primarily in Florida since launching. Philadelphia offered its first chance to gauge whether games outside that bubble could broaden the audience and create new revenue streams.
The setting also aligned with Philadelphia’s long-term plans for women’s basketball. The city is preparing for a future WNBA expansion franchise and has a new arena slated for completion by 2030 that will serve as that team’s home.
The atmosphere inside the building extended well beyond the court. “Good Morning America” host Robin Roberts, 76ers guard Kyle Lowry, and comedians Leslie Jones and Wanda Sykes were among those in attendance. Across the city, pep rallies and watch parties sprang up in multiple neighborhoods, while resale prices for lower-bowl seats matched the demand typically seen at recent 76ers games.
For Philadelphia native Natasha Cloud, the moment was deeply personal. Playing professionally in her hometown for the first time, she stood beneath Allen Iverson’s retired No. 3 jersey before tipoff. Cloud, who plays for Phantom BC, put the feeling simply.
“Man, like how crazy it is that I’m standing here about to play for the first time professionally in my home city,” she said.
When she was introduced, Cloud held up an “Abolish Ice” sign, prompting a loud ovation from the record crowd.
The doubleheader then delivered two tight games. In the opener, Kelsey Plum led Phantom BC to a 71–68 win over Breeze BC in a contest that stayed close throughout. The second matchup featured a standout individual effort, as Marina Mabrey scored an Unrivaled-high 47 points to lift the Lunar Owls to an 85–75 victory over Rose BC, led by Philadelphia native Kahleah Copper.
That game had also been a focal point for bettors. Ahead of tipoff on Jan. 30, DraftKings listed Rose as 6.5-point favorites at -115, with Lunar Owls as +230 underdogs and a total of 143.5 points. National previews positioned Rose as gaining momentum as Copper continued recovering from her injury.
Longer-term markets had been shifting in the weeks leading up to the Philadelphia stop. On BetMGM’s championship board, Phantom BC sat at +450 after opening at +500 and being +650 in the preseason. Rose moved from +1000 at the open to +850 in the preseason and then to +500 by late January. Lunar Owls, meanwhile, drifted from +725 at the open to +1200 in the preseason and out to +4000 by the same point in the season. DraftKings’ early February futures screen showed a similar structure, listing Phantom at +475 to win the 2026 title and Lunar Owls at +3500.
The MVP market followed a parallel pattern. BetMGM installed Chelsea Gray of Rose as the favorite at +400, citing season averages of 29 points, 6.4 assists, and five rebounds per game. Kelsey Plum was next at +750, followed by Marina Mabrey at +1800 and Kahleah Copper at +4000. The race was also affected by Napheesa Collier missing the second season after surgery on both ankles.
Copper’s role extended beyond the court. In the days leading up to the games, she took her teammates to Dalessandro’s Steaks and arranged 64 tickets so friends and family could attend.
“I think the city is ready for women’s professional sports,” Copper said. “I’m excited that, one, that it’s here, and two, that I’m a part of it.”
The event also carried historical context for Philadelphia. No women’s professional game had been played in the city since 1998, when the Philadelphia Rage competed in the now-defunct American Basketball League. While Philadelphia’s basketball identity has long featured figures such as Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, Julius Erving, and Joel Embiid, professional women’s basketball had been absent for nearly three decades.
Dawn Staley, another Philadelphia native and one of the most prominent figures in women’s basketball, attended the doubleheader. Her hometown street was renamed in her honor in 2017, even as local college programs had largely remained outside the national spotlight.
