FLORIDA NEWSWIRE (JACKSONVILLE, Fla.) — The UPSHOT League on Tuesday announced its founding corporate partners supporting the launch of the Jacksonville Waves, marking a significant milestone in the buildout of the league’s inaugural season and its mission to elevate women’s professional basketball through community-driven investment and innovation.
The league’s founding partners include CSI Companies; ACUVUE, the world’s leading§ contact lens brand from Johnson & Johnson, and Florida Blue. These partnerships reflect a growing commitment from leading national and regional organizations to invest in women’s professional sports, community health, and the long-term development of elite women’s athletics.
The Upshot League is a premier women’s professional basketball league built on elite competition, player opportunity, and community connection. With a foundation rooted in high-level talent and global experience, the league aims to redefine the professional landscape while expanding opportunities for women’s basketball in the United States.
Co-founder and Commissioner Donna Orender emphasized the broader significance of these early partnerships: “Founding partners are more than simply sponsors-they are builders of the future of women’s professional sports. Each of these organizations understands the power of alignment with a league that is rooted in community impact, elite competition, and long-term growth.”
The Jacksonville Waves represent one of four inaugural franchises in the UPSHOT League’s first season, alongside teams in Charlotte, Greensboro, and Savannah. The league is designed to blend high-performance basketball with strong regional identity, corporate partnership integration, and year-round community engagement.
The addition of founding partners provides early infrastructure support across brand development, health and wellness initiatives, and community programming that will extend well beyond the court.
MORE INFO: https://upshotleague.com/
References:
§ Source Euromonitor International Limited; Eyewear 2025 edition; value sales at rsp, all retail channels, 2023 data; “ACUVUE® family of brands” represents aggregated sales of the following brands: 1-day ACUVUE®, ACUVUE® OASYS, ACUVUE® VITA®, and ACUVUE® 2.
SUMMARY:
- The UPSHOT League announced founding corporate partners for the new Jacksonville Waves franchise, including CSI Companies, ACUVUE, and Florida Blue.
- League officials said the partnerships highlight increasing investment in women’s professional sports, community wellness, and the long-term growth of elite women’s basketball.
- UPSHOT League Commissioner Donna Orender described the sponsors as “builders of the future of women’s professional sports,” emphasizing the league’s focus on community impact, competition, and sustainable growth.
- The Jacksonville Waves are one of four inaugural UPSHOT League franchises, joining teams in Charlotte, Greensboro, and Savannah, with partner support aimed at strengthening branding, health initiatives, and year-round community programs.
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