Top Brand Activations From WNBA All-Star Weekend 2026

CHICAGO—Chicago became the center of women’s basketball culture during WNBA All-Star Weekend July 23-25, drawing fans, athletes, creators, and brands together for a weekend focused not only on the game, but on the broader ecosystem surrounding it.

As the league celebrated its 30th anniversary, brands used the moment to move beyond traditional sponsorship visibility, creating experiences designed around participation, personalization, and connection. Official activations at WNBA Live—the fan fest inside McCormick Place—brought fans closer to the action through interactive brand experiences, while offsite activations across the city transformed venues into spaces for storytelling, shopping, hospitality, and fan engagement.

From Google Pixel’s technology-driven “Hoop Dreams” experience and State Farm’s fan-focused basketball moments at WNBA Live to TOGETHXR House, Complex Market, and Coach’s citywide activations, here’s how brands approached All-Star Weekend as an opportunity to create cultural moments around women’s sports…

Google Pixel at WNBA Live

At WNBA Live, the official fan festival held at McCormick Place, Google Pixel staged “Hoop Dreams,” an immersive activation designed to showcase how technology can enhance the way fans experience basketball. Photo: Courtesy of Google

The space was set against a galaxy-inspired backdrop, with colorful hanging basketballs meant to resemble planets in orbit. Photo: Courtesy of Google

The activation featured The Dream Tunnel, where guests entered through an arena tunnel simulation complete with flashing lights, roaring crowd audio, and their name announced over the loudspeaker. Photo: Courtesy of Google

AT&T Fan Experience

AT&T brought fans closer to the action with an outdoor activation at Pioneer Court designed to celebrate the WNBA’s 30th anniversary and the athletes who have shaped the league’s legacy. Here, fans could help unlock basket-driven donations of up to $150,000 for three Chicago small businesses. Photo: Jenna Lynn Photography, courtesy of AT&T

The experience featured interactive moments including a bag customization station, where fans could create personalized keepsakes inspired by Chicago and women’s basketball. Photo: Jenna Lynn Photography, courtesy of AT&T

“We wanted to celebrate the women and all their accomplishments while keeping an eye to the future,” said Andrea Wilson, director of sponsorships and experiential marketing at AT&T. “We’re bringing basketball to where the fans are.” Photo: Jenna Lynn Photography, courtesy of AT&T

AT&T measured success through attendance, time spent in the space, customer engagement, and its ability to build long-term brand affinity. Photo: Jenna Lynn Photography, courtesy of AT&T

AT&T’s presence at WNBA All-Star also focused on community programming that supports youth, expands access to basketball, and helps more people stay connected to the game. The company provided 200 devices to local youth to help ensure they have the connectivity needed for the upcoming school year and even hosted Jr. WNBA Day (pictured). Photo: Drew Ganyer, courtesy of AT&T

Coach Tabby Truck Tour

During WNBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago, Coach extended its existing league partnership with experiential activations designed to engage fans through storytelling, customization, and personal expression. The activations were produced by Michigan-based experiential marketing agency Activate. Photo: The Workmans

At the heart of the activation was the custom-built Tabby Truck (pictured), a life-size recreation of Coach’s iconic Tabby bag, where guests received personalized leather bookmarks hand-stamped by brand ambassadors. More than 2,200 custom leather bookmarks were created and distributed during the two-day activation. Photo: The Workmans

The experience featured a curated Book Nook, where guests could donate a favorite book or discover a new read, including Brittney Griner’s memoir Coming Home. Visitors also contributed to a collaborative Story Wall (pictured), responding to prompts about their own personal journeys and adding their reflections to a growing community art installation. Photo: The Workmans

Coach also hosted an intimate Story Session at Offshore Rooftop featuring Jordan Chiles, Lisa Leslie (pictured), and Azzi Fudd. The night’s conversation centered on the evolving relationship between athletes and fans. Photo: The Workmans

Chase Cashback Courts at Complex Market

Chase Freedom brought its Chase Cashback Courts activation to Complex Market at CineCity Studios during WNBA All-Star Weekend, creating a fan destination celebrating 30 years of women’s basketball with the theme “Her Game. No Limits.” The experience—produced by Think True—brought together vintage sports and streetwear vendors, live programming, athlete appearances, and interactive brand moments for fans, collectors, and tastemakers.

The event featured appearances from A’ja Wilson, Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, and JuJu Watkins, along with a live taping of Complex’s Please Explain podcast. The programming explored topics spanning basketball, fashion, and personal identity, highlighting how today’s athletes connect with fans beyond the court. Photo: Kurieo (Think True x Chase)

“We saw such success with ComplexCon over the years, but we still identified that there was a white space,” said Michael Tresvant, executive vice president of brand partnerships at Complex. “The market is really about people who are looking for collectibles and things that are more vintage or unique.” Photo: Kurieo (Think True x Chase)

Programming highlights included these limited-edition Jeff Hamilton coaches jackets for attendees in an exclusive Chase Freedom Cardmember colorway. Photo: Kurieo (Think True x Chase)

The experience also featured interactive on-court competitions where fans competed for prizes, including WNBA All-Star tickets. Photo: Kurieo (Think True x Chase)

The Chicago activation brought together Complex’s lifestyle perspective with Chase’s focus on fan-first engagement, creating a space where basketball, commerce, and culture intersected. Tresvant said success was measured through consumer sentiment, engagement, and creating authentic moments that resonate with audiences. “I think basketball lifestyle culture started here with Jordan,” Tresvant said. “The WNBA being basketball at its core, and Complex being lifestyle at its core—it’s really a great convergence.” Photo: Kurieo (Think True x Chase)

Jordan Brand’s The One Finals

For this year’s WNBA All-Star Weekend, Jordan Brand produced a series of experiential activations centered around community, culture, and participation. Produced with Freehold Group, The One Finals invited some of Chicago’s top female hoopers to compete for the title of “The One.” NBA champion and Jordan Brand athlete Jayson Tatum even surprised participants with an appearance, helping to celebrate and elevate the next generation of women’s basketball talent. Photo: Courtesy of Freehold Group

The activations for The One Finals took over Chicago’s historic Board of Trade building. Photo: Courtesy of Freehold Group

State Farm at WNBA Live

At WNBA Live, State Farm created an interactive fan experience designed to bring attendees closer to the action. The brand hosted the State Farm Celeb 3-Point Contest, giving celebrities, athletes, and basketball personalities a chance to compete on the court alongside the “Jake from State Farm” TV personality. The experience featured appearances from talent including Keke Palmer, Issa Rae, and WNBA stars Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman of StudBudz. Photo: Courtesy of State Farm

“The inspiration for us is always the fans,” said Megan Baumann, marketing executive overseeing social and earned media at State Farm. “What’s going to matter to them, and what do they love about this game that we can help make really relevant in their world?” Photo: Courtesy of State Farm

State Farm also invited fans to step into the game through “The Game Is Yours,” an interactive experience featuring a custom LED court where attendees could take their own shots during All-Star Weekend. Photo: Courtesy of State Farm

TOGETHXR House

During WNBA All-Star Weekend, TOGETHXR House created a central gathering space for fans, athletes, creators, and brand partners. “We took the impetus of women’s sports—where you get your merch, how you learn about the athletes—and said, ‘Let’s put it under one roof,’” said Bailey Williamson, senior vice president of partnerships at TOGETHXR. “TOGETHXR House is the place to pull up. It’s the place to do business. It’s a place to hang out.” Photo: Courtesy of TOGETHXR

Williamson said success was measured not only by attendance but by creating new connections between fans, brands, and women’s sports. “It’s the amount of people that walk away with an experience that they previously didn’t have, and a moment that ties them to women’s sports in a nontraditional way,” she said. Photo: Courtesy of TOGETHXR

TOGETHXR House was also the place for big announcements, like Barbie teaming up with Reebok to debut the Angel Reese Barbie Signature doll and matching Angel Reese 1 Basketball Shoes. (Reese is also a co-owner of TOGETHXR). Inside the Angel Reese Dream Closet, fans could step into Reese’s world, strike a pose inside a life-size Barbie box, and get an up-close look at debuting products, including the Reebok shoes and Barbie doll. Photo: Courtesy of TOGETHXR

The TOGETHXR House experience also featured Aveeno’s Scented Tunnel Walk, where the skincare brand brought its new Daily Moisturizing Sensitive Skin Scents collection to life. “During TOGETHXR House in Chicago, the Aveeno Scented Tunnel Walk allowed guests to experience the new Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Sensitive Skin Scents collection through an immersive, sensory-first experience designed to celebrate skin care rituals while helping them learn how to confidently care for their skin, sensitive or not,” said Kirsten Hurley, head of commercial, U.S. Aveeno. Photo: Courtesy of TOGETHXR

The Aveeno experience invited guests to interact with the launch through personalized video moments, product sampling, and product education. The experience was part of Aveeno’s ongoing partnership with TOGETHXR and featured appearances from athletes including Cameron Brink, Jordan Chiles, and Chiney Ogwumike (pictured). Photo: Courtesy of TOGETHXR