NEW YORK, April 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Coach and the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) today announce a multiyear partnership aimed at championing courageous self-expression through basketball and beyond, with Coach becoming the official handbag partner of the league.
Highlighting the intersection between sports and fashion, the agreement brings on Coach as the WNBA’s luxury handbag brand, with the goal of empowering players and fans to courageously express themselves. The initiative also underscores Coach’s grounding purpose, the Courage to Be Real, a platform meant to inspire people to confidently explore all the facets of their identity.
The collaboration will be spotlighted across key events and moments throughout the season, beginning with the WNBA Draft 2025 presented by State Farm® on Monday, April 14 at The Shed in New York City. Throughout the evening, the WNBA Draft Orange Carpet presented by Coach will welcome the newest class of WNBA rookies.
Coach will also partner with and amplify the stories of five WNBA prospects who are bridging the worlds of sport and fashion as exceptional athletes who express themselves with their own unique style. The five WNBA prospects are Paige Bueckers (University of Connecticut), Hailey Van Lith (Texas Christian University), Aneesah Morrow (Louisiana State University), Kiki Iriafen (University of South California), and Sonia Citron (Notre Dame).
“Coach and the WNBA share a belief in the power of self-expression,” said Coach Chief Marketing Officer Joon Silverstein. “We’re excited to partner with this league, an organization that uniquely champions individuality, and to support these courageous athletes who are breaking molds both on and off the court, inspiring our audiences to embrace the many possibilities of who they are and who they can be.”
Additionally, Coach will become the presenting partner of WNBA Pride, a platform the league launched in 2014, which marked the first time a pro sports league formed an integrated program to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. In addition to a slate of nationally televised games, WNBA Pride presented by Coach will spotlight the third consecutive season of the Pride Is Love limited content series available on the WNBA App.
“The WNBA sits at the intersection of sport and lifestyle and has always championed players to translate what they do on the court into their own personal style off the court,” said WNBA Chief Growth Officer Colie Edison. “We look forward to joining forces with Coach to inspire fans everywhere to embrace individuality, especially around some of our most anticipated tentpole moments, including the WNBA Draft Orange Carpet and WNBA Pride presented by Coach.”
Beyond the WNBA Draft presented by State Farm® and WNBA Pride, Coach will be an associate partner of AT&T WNBA All-Star 2025, where fans and players will converge in Indianapolis for the midseason showcase and a celebration representing the intersection of sport, fashion, music and culture.
HIGH-RES DOWNLOAD:
KEY VISUAL
PARTNERSHIP VIDEO
ABOUT COACH
Coach is a global fashion house founded in New York in 1941. Inspired by the vision of Creative Director Stuart Vevers and the inclusive and courageous spirit of its hometown, the brand makes beautiful things, crafted to last—for you to be yourself in.
Coach is a Tapestry, Inc. brand. Tapestry is publicly listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker TPR.
ABOUT THE WNBA
Tipping off its 29th season in 2025, the WNBA celebrates and elevates the game of basketball and the culture around it. The league was ranked by Morning Consult as the fastest-growing brand in 2024, and No. 4 on Fast Company’s list of the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2025, on its way to setting records for engagement on social and digital platforms, attendance, merchandise sales and unique viewers across its broadcast partners. The WNBA’s commitment to societal impact is supported by the first-of-its-kind WNBA Changemakers Collective, a group of purpose-driven companies that have partnered with the WNBA to enhance the player experience, build the brand of the league and players, inspire innovation and connectivity, increase media coverage and visibility, and help drive the league’s business transformation. AT&T, Carmax, Deloitte, Google, and Nike are part of the WNBA Changemaker Collective.
SOCIAL MEDIA: @Coach; #CoachNY, #CourageToBeReal
CONTACT:
Amanda Garcia Santana, Global Head of PR & Celebrity Talent Relations
agarciasantana@coach.com
Brooke Hudson, Director, Global Brand Communications
bhudson@coach.com
Sam Tager, WNBA Communications
stager@nba.com
SOURCE Coach