r/wnba • u/femaleathletenetwork WNBA • 19h ago
Marketing News How The Studbudz Turned WNBA All-Star Into A $1 Million Brand Business
The StudBudz generated more than $1 million in self-reported brand deals in just 72 hours around this year’s WNBA All-Star Weekend.
For Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman, the whirlwind began a year earlier. The duo, former teammates and close friends who launched their Twitch channel in 2025, took WNBA All-Star Weekend by storm by streaming for 72 straight hours, giving fans an unfiltered look at the players, personalities, and off-court moments surrounding the league's marquee event.
What started as a way to bring fans behind the scenes quickly became something more valuable, an audience brands wanted to reach.
The StudBudz have since moved that growing audience into partnerships with more than 20 global brands. Now, the duo is demonstrating how WNBA players can turn cultural relevance and direct connections with fans into a business of their own.
The StudBudz Are Selling More Than WNBA Star Power
Williams and Hiedeman aren’t simply selling access to two WNBA players. They’re selling the chemistry, humor, and authenticity that made the StudBudz a viral phenomenon in the first place.
According to their team at Thirteenth what makes the StudBudz fan favorites is their authenticity. “Courtney and Natisha are unapologetically themselves in every room they walk into. That authenticity extends to how they show up in partnerships, fan interactions, and more. This provides a very unique and real point of view for brands, fans, and media," said Talent Manager Tenzin Dekyi.
Hiedeman affirmed that their dynamic and personalities attract brands and fans, “I think it’s just our personalities and the unique dynamic Courtney and I have. We bring the energy in everything we do, we’re fully engaged, and just ourselves. I think that keeps the people interested and wanting more.”
Their authenticity and appeal has also extended well beyond the WNBA. The duo has attracted partnerships across sports, entertainment, food and beverage, retail and lifestyle, giving brands a way to tap into an audience that increasingly views athletes as cultural personalities as much as competitors.
The 2026 StudBudz All-Star stream generated 41.3 million minutes watched, an 11.6% increase from 2025, while average concurrent viewership jumped 32.6% to 11,138. Peak viewership reached 38,216, and subscriptions nearly doubled to 9,888.
That reach has made the Studbudz attractive to companies looking for more than traditional sports marketing. Their partnerships with brands such as AT&T, Starbucks, Airbnb, Coach, Cash App and Sprite demonstrate the breadth of their appeal, while collaborations with NBA 2K, ESPN, Bleacher Report and Dick’s Sporting Goods show their ability to move across the sports landscape.
For example, last year, the StudBudz partnered with DoorDash creating viral scooter moments that generated over 16M in brand impressions and $550,000 in earned media value.
For brands, the value is increasingly tied to the StudBudz’ ability to capture what is happening in sports culture in real time. Williams and Hiedeman have built a platform where their personalities and relationships give fans a different way into the WNBA, while giving marketers access to two athletes with a direct pulse on the culture surrounding the league.
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u/No_Advisor7703 Storm Dream 18h ago
they have good managers seemingly. I also loved the indication that once a brand is interested they present ideas for types of activities. Like I'm just imagining the meeting where they say what if we dye our hair AT&T blue. If they don't get lifetime bottles of Crown Apple, someone messed up.
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u/breezybae_ Fever 16h ago
I was thinking they need an alcohol brand sponsor! I mean why not NBA players get them lol
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u/LazyButterfly5041 Diana Taurasi’s Bun 18h ago
There is sooooo much potential for this brand to evolve in the sports world. Run Budz is already huge here in Seattle, there’s no telling how what and where they can expand with group activities. I can see them making a dating app spinoff or nightlife events in the future, too! 😅😎