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Coinbase Expands WNBA Partnership

Last Updated: July 5, 2023
Coinbase and the WNBA see mutual potential and are coming together to empower the next wave of women to shape the future of the crypto industry.

It always makes sense for two organizations riding waves of momentum to find ways to continue working together, and that’s what happened Thursday when Coinbase announced a partnership with the WNBA that includes an expanded investment within the league’s ecosystem.

Coinbase is doing more than just reinforcing its relationship with one of the top basketball leagues on the planet. The cryptocurrency exchange platform is also partnering with the WNBPA, the New York Liberty, Seattle Storm, and Storm veterans Sue Bird and Jewell Loyd.

“It’s an exciting time in both the WNBA and the cryptoeconomy,” Bird said in a statement. “I’m excited to partner with Coinbase as the company brings our fans new opportunities to experience Web3 through NFT projects and more.”

The partnership is so extensive because, simply, both sides believe that women continue to play a huge role in forging the future of the blockchain tech industry. For Coinbase, the WNBA brings with it a throng of women fans that are crypto-curious and open to getting more involved in the Web3 world.

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From the WNBA’s perspective, its players will benefit from learning more about the opportunities that crypto provides.

Notably, Coinbase has worked with the WNBA before. At this year’s WNBA rookie orientation, it held an introductory course on crypto and NFTs for every first-round pick. Moving forward, the company will gift cryptocurrency to all 144 WNBA players and set them up with Coinbase accounts. The players won’t be left on their own, either; Coinbase will make sure they have access to crypto education with Coinbase experts.

“As an early crypto investor, I’ve seen the power of cryptocurrency firsthand and believe that decentralized banking is the future of finance,” Loyd said. “I’m thrilled to be partnering with Coinbase to continue blazing the trail for cryptocurrency as they work to create this future.”

At the team level, Storm and Liberty fans will have a chance to earn crypto assets through both giveaways and IRL experiences. Coinbase did not reveal precisely how Bird and Loyd would get involved, but expect them to play a significant role –their influence will only further participation in the crypto economy.

And that’s exactly what Coinbase is looking for.

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Russell Steinberg

Russell Steinberg is an editor and writer at Boardroom. He came to the brand in 2021 with a decade of experience in sports journalism, primarily covering college basketball at SB Nation as a writer, reporter, and blog manager. In a previous life, he worked as a social media strategist and copywriter, handling accounts ranging from sports retail to luxury hotels and financial technology. Though he has mastered the subtweet, he kindly requests you @ him next time.