Sophie Cunningham, a player for the Indiana Fever, found herself in hot water recently over comments she made about the WNBA’s expansion to cities like Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia. Ahead of the Fever’s game against the Las Vegas Aces, she tried to clarify her remarks, which had sparked backlash.
Cunningham had questioned whether players would be excited about playing in cities like Cleveland and Detroit, especially when compared to other potential locations such as Miami, Nashville, and Kansas City. Her comments did not sit well with fans and residents of those cities, prompting a strong reaction on social media.
In her clarification, Cunningham expressed gratitude for the history of the WNBA and acknowledged that both Cleveland and Detroit had teams in the past. She emphasized that her comments were focused on the off-court lifestyle players might experience in more tourist-friendly locations. “All I was really getting at is Broadway, the off-court lifestyle, so I think that is really intriguing,” she explained. “I think Miami is really intriguing. That’s all I was getting at.”
Cunningham’s remarks were met with pushback from both cities. Cleveland shared a video of her teammate Caitlin Clark praising the city during the 2024 women’s college basketball Final Four. Meanwhile, Detroit responded with a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “Detroit is a sports town. We’re sure we’ll see the same excitement for the WNBA returning.”
Feeling misunderstood, Cunningham reiterated that she would never disrespect the hardworking people of those cities. “I think people totally misread that situation,” she said. “I would never speak down upon middle class, blue-collar working people. That’s where I come from.”
The WNBA recently announced its expansion to Detroit, Cleveland, and Philadelphia, all of which have NBA teams and a history of supporting basketball. Detroit previously hosted a WNBA franchise that won championships in 2003, 2006, and 2008.
Cunningham hopes her comments will be viewed in a different light and that fans will understand her intent.