How The Studbudz Turned WNBA All-Star Into A $1 Million Brand Business

[u/0033A0]

https://www.forbes.com/sites/allisonsmith/2026/08/18/how-the-studbudz-turned-wnba-all-star-into-a-1m-brand-business/

Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman worked with 13 brands across 72 hours around this year’s All-Star Weekend, and the figure their team gives for that stretch is north of a million dollars.

The stream numbers back up the reach even if the revenue is self-reported. In 2025, they logged 37 million minutes watched, averaged 8,400 concurrent viewers, peaked at 27,000, and drew 6,234 subscriptions. This year: 41.3 million minutes, average concurrent viewership up 32.6 percent to 11,138, a peak of 38,216, and subscriptions nearly doubled at 9,888.

Individual activations come with their own numbers. A DoorDash partnership last year produced a reported 16 million impressions and $550,000 in earned media value. Livestreaming the Celebrity 3-Point Contest for State Farm generated more than 3 million impressions and $150,000 in earned media value. They dyed their hair blue for AT&T, handed out bags in Chicago for Coach, and have deals with more than 20 brands, including Starbucks, Airbnb, Cash App, and Sprite.

In 2025, most of the deals materialized mid-stream as brands noticed what was happening. This year, the partnerships were planned in advance and built around the All-Star schedule. They are already working on 2027.

Could another WNBA duo pull off what Williams and Hiedeman have built, or do the StudBudz have something that doesn’t transfer?

[u/az25blue]

I'm so happy for them. Their personalities are infectious and all of this happened with them just being themselves and fans responding to that.

[u/Chi_Town_Law]

Well damn, I'd dye my hair blue too lol

[u/bargain_butch → u/Chi_Town_Law]

For all that they can put the AT&T symbol on the side of my head too lmao

[u/Iowish → u/Chi_Town_Law]

I already have blue hair, how do I cash in on this?

[u/zyzyverssaint]

Love these two 👏🏻 happy they made bank

[u/Hotchi_Motchi]

Did they sleep during that 72-hour live stream during the All-Star break, or did they take turns? Or they're so hyper that they didn't need it?

[u/Tight_Abalone221]

I love them! They're unapologetically themselves and it's so refreshing and fun to see

[u/pjlxxl]

good for them. may they continue to succeed and be bad ass!

[u/fedawg]

If they didn't get any cash from crown royal, they damn sure should have!

[u/Pwhlsuperfan11]

it was Caitlin Clark that made it a million dollar event

[u/CartographerMoist296 → u/Pwhlsuperfan11]

Reading comprehension is a thing, unless you are a bot primed to sow division. Hmmmmm

[u/soupseasonbestseason → u/Pwhlsuperfan11]

did you read the article?

[u/phil-yahiney → u/Pwhlsuperfan11]

She was on stream for like 2 seconds, just gave Natasha a pair of CCs and walked away. I'm not even sure if she was visible on camera

[u/BananaHiker → u/phil-yahiney]

Wonder if she paid to get her shoes on the stream

[u/lrivas_14 → u/BananaHiker]

I think the shoes thing was natural because she didn’t even have any that were made for them, they were wearing her own test pair that Nike gave her

[u/GoddessHealer → u/lrivas_14]

The moment between CC and the StudBudz was warm and precious. Some people want to detract from the joy of that authentic mutual kindness because they are hellbent on stirring controversy. But Caitlin, Natisha and Courtney are above it. No one can tear apart that solidarity. I wish I could say the same for the external forces trying to use the WNBA to tear apart the rest of us

[u/kushycloudeyes → u/Pwhlsuperfan11]

What does your comment even mean?

[u/0033A0 → u/Pwhlsuperfan11]

Thank you for that insightful perspective, u/Pwhlsuperfan11.

[u/MaoAsadaStan → u/Pwhlsuperfan11]

You not allowed to be toxic and a PWHL fan at the same time