Shark Beauty set to sponsor star-studded Champions Classic featuring UConn and Iowa

The first Women's Champions Classic will have a fitting sponsor for the event. Shark Beauty has agreed to become the title sponsor for the women's college basketball doubleheader slated on Dec. 7 at the Barclays Center in New York.

The twinbill will feature Tennessee and Iowa meeting in the first game at 7 p.m. while the main event pits Louisville and UConn at 9:30 p.m. Fox will broadcast the basketball showcase.

Shark Beauty signed a multiyear agreement with Horizon Sports & Experiences where the hair care brand will figure prominently in commercials, digital campaigns, in-arena signage, fan activations and hospitality.

Petra Oman, vice-president of global marketing for Shark Beauty, said the company was thrilled to share the national spotlight with some of the best women's college basketball teams in the nation.

She hoped the mini-tournament would further build the momentum of the sport that has been prominent in recent years due to the emergence of former NCAA stars and current WNBA players, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.

Horizon co-CEO David Levy said he expected more companies will follow and sponsor more events.

“As the popularity of women’s basketball continues to soar, new avenues for engagement and enhanced return on investment have emerged. Shark Beauty is setting a powerful example by recognizing the importance of investing in women’s sports, a strategy we believe will inspire other brands to follow suit," he said.

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UConn, Iowa lead Women's Champions Classic field

The Women's Champions Classic field features four teams that figured prominently in NCAA women's basketball tournaments in the past and present. UConn and Iowa were last year's Final Four rivals in a clash that featured NCAA all-time leading scorer Caitlin Clark and Huskies superstar Paige Bueckers.

UConn is the 11-time national champion that hopes to win its 12th title and first since 2016. Meanwhile, Iowa aims to finally gain their first women's crown after successive runnerup finishes in 2023 and 2024.

Louisville and Tennessee were also perennial powers in women's basketball with the Lady Volunteers winning eight national titles between 1987 and 2008 under the legendary Pat Summitt. The Cardinals, meanwhile, placed second in 2009 and 2013 and were in the NCAA tournament in 18 of the last 19 stagings of March Madness.

Last season, Tennessee made the second round of the NCAA Tournament but was eliminated by Final Four qualifiers NC State. On the other hand, Louisville were booted out in the first round by Middle Tennessee.

The Women’s Champions Classic isn’t the only college basketball event that made news this week. On Tuesday, Fox announced it will broadcast the Coretta Scott King Classic on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January. Baylor, UCLA, Texas and Maryland will participate in the basketball showcase set to take place at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.