All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Livestream WNBA superstars in action, as the league’s top players — like Napheesa Collier, Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, A’ja Wilson, Satou Sabally, Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese, Kelsey Plum and others — flock to Indiana for the WNBA All-Star Game.

In the meantime, the 2025 WNBA All-Star Weekend takes place at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, starting on Friday (July 18).

When Does WNBA All-Star Weekend Start?

WNBA All-Star Weekend broadcasts live, with a start time of 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Where to Watch WNBA All-Star Weekend Online

The WNBA All-Star 3-Point Contest and Skills Challenge airs on ESPN. The event is available to livestream on Sling Orange. Keep reading for more details on how cord-cutters can watch WNBA All-Star Weekend online with Sling.

How to Watch WNBA All-Star Weekend with Sling TV

A subscription to Sling Orange — which comes with ESPN — gets you access to live TV from local and cable channels. Here’s how it breaks down: Sling Orange is on sale for up to half off the first month of service.

With Sling Orange, you can watch networks that carry WNBA games, like ESPN, ESPN3 and ION Television, after WNBA All-Star Weekend. You can also watch many cable networks, including ESPN2, Disney Channel, FreeForm, MotorTrend, A&E, AMC, BBC America, BET, CNN, Comedy Central, Fuse, Food Network, HGTV, History Channel, IFC, Lifetime, Nick Jr., QVC, TBS, TNT, Travel Channel, Vice and many others.

Please note: Prices and channel availability depends on your local TV market. You can learn more about Sling TV here.

Which Celebrities Are Making Appearances During WNBA All-Star Weekend?

It’s likely there may be a number of celebrities and famous recording artists in attendance during the WNBA All-Star 3-Point Contest and Skills Challenge, such as Spike Lee, Jason Sudeikis, Coco Gauff, Common, Alicia Keys, Meek Mill, Aubrey Plaza, Rick Ross and others. Tune-in to the WNBA event to find out who’s sitting courtside on celebrity row.

Starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, the WNBA All-Star Weekend airs on ESPN starting on Friday (July 18). The WNBA All-Star 3-Point Contest and Skills Challenge is available to livestream with Sling TV.

Want more? For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Xbox deals, studio headphones and Nintendo Switch accessories.

Eduardo Méndez recalls the day his mother took him for the first time to a small El Sistema center in Mérida, his hometown in the Andean region of Venezuela. He was only 5 and his mom wanted him to do something better than watching TV all afternoon.

“I remember that the process of joining the orchestra was very easy,” the violinist and lawyer, who has been the executive director of the institution since 2008, tells Billboard Español. “They called it La Juvenil there, and I really liked how warmly they welcomed me. Nobody tested me to see if I had an ear for music or not. In fact, they told my mom, ‘If you want, leave him here right away.’” He started the next day.

The National System of Youth and Children’s Orchestras and Choirs of Venezuela — home to the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra and commonly known as El Sistema — celebrates this year its 50th anniversary transforming lives through free music education with that same sense of inclusivity.

Mentored by maestro José Antonio Abreu from an early age, Méndez, along with his peer Gustavo Dudamel, were chosen as the future of El Sistema, with Dudamel bringing its spirit to the world, and Méndez remaining in Venezuela to strengthen its foundation, expanding its presence to 72 countries and increasing enrollment from 60,000 to 1.2 million children locally.

“Since 2008, Eduardo has led El Sistema with tireless dedication alongside our great Maestro Abreu for many of those years inspire millions around the world,” Dudamel tells Billboard Español. “Under his leadership, the mission of El Sistema has reached farther than ever before, reminding us that we are not just creating musicians, but citizens of the world — young people who carry pride, purpose, and a sense of belonging into everything they do.”

The 50th-anniversary celebrations include various activities and concerts throughout 2025, including a performance by the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra conducted by Dudamel on August 28 at the Southbank Centre in London, announced Wednesday (July 16). Just days earlier, on August 22, the orchestra will perform an opening set and accompany Coldplay during the band’s 10 sold-out concerts at Wembley Stadium.

“The Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra, as the premier ensemble representing all the children and youth musicians of El Sistema, embodies our shared vision of celebrating music and its ability to inspire, which is why it is a profound honor for our young musicians to share the stage with such a globally renowned band as Coldplay,” Méndez said in a statement. “This collaboration has emerged organically as we build on the momentum and enthusiasm surrounding the 50th anniversary of El Sistema.”

In an interview with Billboard Español from Caracas, Méndez — who was also honored in March at the Wayuu Taya Foundation’s Spring Gala in New York City — discusses his career in El Sistema, the challenges the institution has faced in recent years, and its greatest achievements.

How did you go from being a violinist to being the executive director of El Sistema?

Well, in addition to being a musician, I’m also a lawyer. I graduated from the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello and played in the Simón Bolívar Orchestra. I pursued both careers simultaneously; I graduated from the conservatory at 20 and as a lawyer at 21. One day, I was talking to maestro [Abreu] in his office, and I said, “Maestro, I have an issue with my work schedule. The hours are conflicting. What do you recommend?” And he said, “You need to come work with me. You can combine the knowledge you’ve gained in college with your knowledge as a musician.” I replied, “But I don’t know anything about management. I’ve never worked in that.” And he said, “Don’t worry. Neither did I.”

Then he told me something that really intrigued me: “We have so many musicians here at El Sistema, but very few musicians who also understand other areas and are willing to support from that perspective.” I think that’s what convinced me. The challenge seemed interesting. I started working with him, beginning with the most basic tasks. I went through all the administrative and managerial positions in the institution. I moved from academic direction to national leadership of the centers, to general management, human resources, and management of the Simón Bolívar Orchestra, among others. There were people who supported me a lot, and perhaps others who didn’t like the idea of a young guy giving them instructions. But those situations helped me grow and learn. I studied public management at IESA (Institute of Advanced Studies in Administration in Caracas), and two years after finishing my specialization, the Maestro named me executive director. It was a complete surprise to everyone, including me — I found out through a memo.

How do you remember maestro Abreu (1939–2018)?

As a great mentor, a great teacher, and an exceptional human being. His humanity was as extraordinary as his genius. He was a visionary who, in 1970s Venezuela, amidst many young musicians without opportunities, decided to convene a rehearsal to form an orchestra. At that first rehearsal, 13 young people showed up, and he announced, with his characteristic vision: “This is going to be a gigantic project. This will be a project that goes around the world, is recognized, records albums with the best ensembles, and plays in the best concert halls.” And it ended up happening, but not by osmosis. It took a lot of dedicated work.

With me particularly, as with Gustavo [Dudamel], he was very eager to teach. I worked for 17 years alongside him from the beginning, and he taught in a very particular way, because he was very strict, very demanding. But on the other hand, he was an extraordinary human being, a person who cared about all the smallest details of sensitivity, of always conveying that message of help, of support. He said that the essence of this wasn’t to develop extraordinary orchestras and extraordinary musicians. Yes, that was going to happen; in such large groups of people geniuses would emerge. But the most important thing was to develop citizens.

One thing that’s fascinating is how El Sistema has thrived regardless of who’s in power. What have been the biggest challenges for you in that regard, and why do you think the institution has managed to sustain and grow in a socioeconomic and political situation like Venezuela’s?

Adhering to institutional frameworks has been key, and that institutional framework has always been very difficult. You know what you are, and you know what you’re doing, and you know you have to work for and on behalf of the children, the youth, and the project. But sometimes not everyone understands that. Even from the very beginning of El Sistema, there were many challenges that maestro [Abreu] had to overcome to achieve the state’s recognition of the project. At that time, it was known that a project of this magnitude could not, under any circumstances, be managed solely privately, because the concept of free funding would already be practically impossible, and that was the essence of the program.

I had to go through to that too. I faced many institutional challenges during difficult times, especially when my time as executive director combined with the illness of maestro Abreu, who was ill for almost four years. Although he was there, he wasn’t there every day, so that created an obligation for me to take the reins of the project more decisively at a time when the organization was absolutely personal, dependent on maestro Abreu — whatever the maestro said, was done. One of the fundamental challenges I faced there, to maintain institutionality, was the depersonalization of that project: Horizontalizing the institution, giving everyone responsibilities, training new generations of managers. My challenges were modernizing the institution, adapting the structures for growth. The maestro’s figure obviously remains and always will be present, but it’s now more like philosophy.

Today there’s a board of directors. In addition, I have four sector directors for each area, and the directors have clearly defined responsibilities. In other words, whether I’m there or not, this functions precisely. They know what to do, how to do it. Of course, there are macro plans that I launch from the beginning of the year — what’s going to happen, how we’re going to do it. We have two- and three-year plans, which we didn’t have before. But if we wanted to earn respect in the world of international classical music, we had to plan ahead.

Millions of people have emigrated from Venezuela in the last decade, including many musicians from El Sistema. How did you handle this situation?

These challenges led me to make many decisions that, I would say, were revolutionary for the organization itself and for the country as well, because this organization began to move in a completely different way than the rest of the country. One of the things that was happening in Venezuela, as you said, was this situation of polarization, of complex political situations, where there were even musicians who left — look, for us to turn all these complex situations into strength […] The Simón Bolívar Orchestra was practically dismantled at the time of the crisis, and with the pandemic, it got worse. We had to create a new orchestra that just went on a successful tour in Europe, through the most important cities, where there were standing ovations everywhere, and it’s a completely new orchestra.

The question my colleagues in the other orchestras and the venues who kindly welcomed us were asking: “But how can the same institution rebuild an orchestra with its own students, trained by itself, and come here and sell the tickets I don’t sell?” It’s diametrically opposed to what happens in the rest of the country, and that has a lot to do with the way El Sistema is managed, and with how we learn music. Because music within El Sistema has always moved very quickly, it’s been cutting edge. A child who enters a center today isn’t Eduardo Méndez when he entered at age 5. Now, a 5-year-old is hyperstimulated. In other words, the methodology has been incredibly refined over the years. And now, there are thousands of orchestras to look after, thousands of groups to look after.

How many people make up the management team?

There are 89, including directors and inspection chiefs, who are like the bosses who manage the entire organization. And I work directly with four directors in charge of different sectors. An organization like this, which receives both public and private funding, which receives donations, which receives a range of resources for this purpose, also requires absolutely impeccable management. I’ve built very intense teams in that regard to keep things flowing.

Do you think Dudamel’s international success helped spread El Sistema’s name abroad?

Evidently, yes. He was part of the success that El Sistema was already building, because when El Sistema began creating its children’s orchestras, that’s when the National Children’s Orchestra in which Gustavo played was created. So, of course, the Children’s Orchestra began as an experimental orchestra of little children playing adult repertoire, repertoire that was somehow manageable, but under a strict teaching method. And that’s what that orchestra did. It began touring, supported by the state, supported by various sectors, and it traveled through Italy, eventually reaching Germany. That was the first step toward internationalization of the European side; the South American side was already quite advanced.

Then maestro [Abreu] put him in charge of conducting the orchestra, which was formally the National Children’s Orchestra, and at that moment Gustavo gained very important experience, a wealth of experience that allows a 13- or 14-year-old boy to gain ground and to make contacts. Because normally, when a conductor in Europe or the U.S. wants to conduct an orchestra, he has to graduate and spend years before being given an orchestra. Here, Gustavo already had tons of practice, and the maestro was right there teaching him. That led Gustavo to ultimately win [the Gustav Mahler Conducting Competition] in Bamberg, [Germany], which was what really launched him and made people ask, “Where does this kid come from?”

What would you say has been El Sistema’s greatest achievement in these 50 years?

Remaining stable despite everything and growing, because it’s not just about maintaining yourself, it’s about growing and setting an example for other countries. I believe that from all the things surrounding El Sistema — which can be described as beautiful, pleasant, and enjoyable — it’s not just that. This is something much deeper. It has transformed the lives of millions of Venezuelans. We estimate that more than 3 million Venezuelan children and young people have passed through El Sistema’s classrooms in 50 years, including those currently in attendance.

And to grow and develop not only as an inclusive project that has added value, but one that has done so with quality, one that has done so with excellence, where the Venezuelan identity has also been elevated in the world of music, to the point that we are now considered a powerhouse of classical music, and I would dare to go a little further — not just in classical music, because even in popular music, many of those Latin musicians who are winning Grammys came from here and are absolutely proud to have passed through our classrooms. Something that 50 years ago seemed utopian has become a very important reality for Venezuela. It has transformed people’s lives, generated jobs, been a forward-thinking, innovative and unifying organization. To speak of El Sistema in Venezuela today is to speak of unity. There is no one from anywhere who can say anything negative about El Sistema.

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BTS is one of the biggest groups in music, so it’s not hard to find tons of available merchandise dedicated to the Bangtan Boys. Rare collectibles – like vinyl box sets and other exclusive and officially licensed limited-edition items from BTS Official Merch, Weverse and fan sites like BT21 Merch or special collaborations like the Casetify anniversary collection — tend to fly off the shelves.

You can always check out sites like eBay and Mercari to get your hands on limited-edition or sold-out BTS merch, but for BTS fans who might not have tons of money to spend on resale items, we put together a list of some of the best (and more affordable) unofficial BTS merch that you can buy from Amazon and Walmart right now.

Whether you’re an ARMY, or shopping for one, this roundup features pieces of BTS-inspired merch including apparel, photocards, calendars, jewelry, electronics, collectible figurines and other cool gift ideas for die-hard K-pop lovers — and almost everything on the list is under $50

BT21 LINE FRIENDS Women’s Headband

$14.99

Buy Now On Amazon

A themed BTS headband.

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If you’re a hardcore BTS stan you’ll know all about BT21 Line Friends. The cute little mascots were created through a collaboration between the South Korean boy band BTS and LINE FRIENDS, a global character brand. Whether you stan Suga or Jimin, you can show your loyalty by snagging yourself a sweet little headband affixed with each member’s BT21 character. The characters attached to the headband are 3D and plush.

Mshion Charm Bracelet Women’s Stainless Steel Bracelets Pendant Link Jewelry Holiday Gifts

$9.99

Buy Now On Amazon

A stainless steel charm bracelet.

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Like the entry before this, you’ve got more BT21-inspired merch, this time in the form of a bracelet. The characters are clearly beloved, given they appear in a slew of the boy band’s merch. This stainless steel chain bracelet features every member’s assigned LINE FRIENDS characters so you can rep the whole band in style. This item of merch is very subtle, perfect for BTS fans who want to rock the band’s merch without looking too cheesy or loud.

Funko Pop! Rocks: BTS – Agust D – (Haegeum)

$14.99

Buy Now On Amazon

A Suga Funko Pop! figure.

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BTS has an array of Funko Pop figures already available; however, if you’re a Suga solo stan, this one is for you. This Agust D figurine is inspired by the rapper’s 2023 hit “Haegeum” and depicts Suga in his music video look down to his accessories. The vinyl figure stands at 3.75 inches (9.5 cm) tall, the perfect size to display on a shelf.

BTS RECIPE BOOK 2 – Official BTS Merchandise

$45.00

Buy Now On Amazon

An official recipe book 16 Beginner-Friendly Korean Food Recipes Inspired by BTS

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Want to cook like BTS? With this BTS RECIPE BOOK 2, you can. The official merch contains 16 beginner-friendly South Korean recipes all inspired by BTS. These recipes are based on ones the boy band has actually used and include alternatives to some South Korean ingredients. You’ve also got vegan and gluten-free options. For our allergy-prone readers, every dish is also nut-free. Beyond the recipes, there’s a Korean language section in the book that breaks down 16 useful Korean expressions all related to food.

BTS “Permission to Dance” Lucky Draw Magnet

Buy Now at walmart $5.97 $5.97

A magnet with a portrait of individual BTS member.

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You know what your fridge is likely lacking? BTS merch. Not to worry, though. You can now buy mini acrylic magnets depicting portraits of each member at Walmart. These magnets include all seven members of BTS, all suited up in their 2021 “Permission to Dance” live stage outfits. The magnets are currently on sale for $5.97, so you can buy all seven magnets without breaking the bank. Or you could be a proud solo stan and just grab one.

BTS Drink Tumbler

$11.99

Buy Now at walmart

A tumbler with all the BTS member’s signatures on it.

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There’s nothing better than useful merch. This BTS branded tumbler is both useful and cute. The product is made of stainless steel both inside and out. Whether you’re drinking coffee or wine, the tumbler can hold 12oz of whatever you choose. Plus, the insulated interior keeps hot drinks hot and cold drinks cool. Additionally, the coffee tumbler’s tapered design allows it to fit seamlessly in most standard cup holders. The design centers around BTS’ logo along with the members’ signatures. If you’ve got an ARMY in your life that’s always on the go, this would make a unique and helpful gift.

BTS Jungkook Bunny T-shirt

$23.99

Buy Now at walmart

A black tee with Jungkook’s name on it ans BTS’ logo.

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Nothing beats a standard t-shirt. This one from Walmart is dedicated to those solo stans that want to rep their bias Jungook in a subtle but cute way. These tees are made of cotton and feature your standard BTS branded details, including the band’s logo, along with Jungkook’s respective BT21 character, a whimsical rabbit. You can shop this t-shirt in seven different colorways; however, the black is our favorite. The pink graphics set against the black background really make the merch pop.

BTS RUNSEOKJIN Tour Cotton T-shirt

$19.99

Buy Now on WALMART

A solo t-shirt for Jin.

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Another day, another solo stan tee. If you’re a fan of Jin, you can snag yourself an oversized tee with his face on it in a butter yellow hue, very fitting. Other options available on Walmart include a black tee and a white tee in similarly baggy styles fixed with the graphic ‘RUNSEOKJIN Tour’ on the back and ‘worldwide handsome’ on the front. No matter which design you choose, the t-shirts are unisex and made of 100% cotton for a breathable finish.

Jungkook BTS 6-inch Fashion Figure

$11.99

Buy Now on walmart

A Jungkook figure.

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These six-inch BTS figures are a K-Pop collector’s dream. Retailing for $11.99, each figure depicts one of the members in a colorful anime-esque style attached to a base so the figure can stand up. If you want to buy all seven members’ figures, the whole lot will run you $49.99.

Tamagotchi Nano x BTS TinyTAN Hugmy Tamagotchi J-Hope ver. Vinyl Figure

$19.82

Buy Now at walmart

A figure of each individual member holding a Tamagotchi Nano.

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Similar to the figure above, this figure depicts each member of BTS in a sweet little chibi style, but with a twist. These collectables were made in collaboration with Tamagotchi Nano, a miniature, portable version of the popular Tamagotchi virtual pet. Nestled in the lap of each figure, you’ll find a functioning Tamagotchi Nano loaded up with two mini games and little playable characters depicting the BTS members. Interactive and fun, we can envision this piece making a great gift for the gamer ARMY in your life.