Maker’s Mark has announced it will be the first Official Spirits Partner of Unrivaled, the athlete-founded and player-owned women’s basketball league.
As part of the partnership, Unrivaled ticketholders will have the chance to engage with the whiskey brand experiences in select hospitality spaces and enjoy specialty cocktails inspired by the league. At Maimi’s Sephora Arena, the whiseky brand will take over their new VIP Loge Box. At select games, Maker’s Mark will also be part of Unrivaled’s pre-game Fan Fest experience outside the arena.
Maker’s Mark will also appear in-arena through displays with broadcast-visible signage. Thirty-second commercial spots will run on media partners including TNT and truTV throughout the regular season and playoffs, featuring the new Perfectly Unreasonable global campaign, which celebrates the idea that going to unreasonable lengths—in life and in bourbon—is what separates good from remarkable.
“What Maker’s Mark has done throughout its renowned history is exactly what Unrivaled aims to do, which is carving our own path to create something better, and leaning into unreasonable ideas instead of shying away from them,” said Napheesa Collier, Unrivaled Co-Founder. “That’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.”
This is Maker’s Mark’s first-ever sports league sponsorship. “Maker’s Mark founders – my grandparents – broke with tradition to reimagine what bourbon could be—a perfectly unreasonable spirit that endures today,” said Rob Samuels, eighth generation whisky maker and Managing Director at Maker’s Mark. “Beginning with co-founders Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, Unrivaled shares that same spirit, and we’re delighted to shine a light on their community of players who prioritize passion and purpose on and off court.”
This announcement comes ahead of Unrivaled’s 2026 sophomore season, tipping off Jan. 5 in Miami. Building on a breakthrough inaugural year, the league returns featuring two new clubs, a redesigned arena with expanded fan sections, and their first-ever tour stop in Philadelphia.
