In addition to the already established $500,000 prize pool, Coinbase will give $120,000 worth of Bitcoin to the participants.
Just in time for the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup championship game on Tuesday between the Las Vegas Aces and Chicago Sky at Wintrust Arena, Coinbase is upping the ante and providing more money to the participants.
In addition to the $500,000 prize pool, Coinbase will provide an additional cryptocurrency prize pool of up to $120,000 for the players in the game, the company announced Monday. The money will be evenly distributed among the participants, in Bitcoin, to their Coinbase accounts.
It marks the first cryptocurrency prize offered for any WNBA or major sports league competition, according to Coinbase. Additionally, Coinbase will offer an educational course for Sky and Aces players to further familiarize them with the cryptoeconomy.
“It is tremendous that Coinbase has stepped up as the Presenting Partner of the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup and shown support to the league for this innovative in-season competition, further establishing it as one of the premier events on the sports’ calendar in only its second season,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Englebert said.
This is the first year Coinbase is sponsoring the W’s in-season tournament as part of its partnership with the league, and the second Commissioner’s Cup overall after the Seattle Storm defeated the Phoenix Mercury in the 2021 final. Through its partnership with the WNBA, Coinbase wants to enable more participation in the cryptoeconomy and Web3, and introduce the WNBA’s fan base to the world of crypto and what it can offer them.
The game will be broadcast on Prime Video, one of 17 W games the platform will air during the 2022 season, with Candace Parker, A’ja Wilson, and Kelsey Plum among the game’s stars.