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Sophie Cunningham Issues Strong Statement About WNBA Salary on Sunday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Chris Phelps | Last updated Jun 22, 2025 3:23 PM ET

Sophie Cunningham and the Indiana Fever are set to play in their second game of a three-game road trip, taking on the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday afternoon.

Back in October 2024, the WNBPA opted to terminate the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), meaning it will end at the conclusion of the 2025 WNBA season. With that being said, the WNBA and its players' association have begun negotiations for a new CBA.

Before the Fever vs. Aces, Cunningham revealed a pre-written statement about the ongoing negotiations, hoping the new deal reflects WNBA players' true value.

"On behalf of my teammates and every member of our union, I want to be very clear that we remain committed to renegotiating the next CBA with the league and teams in good faith and privately, but we do want to set the record straight," Cunningham said. "Not for the headlines, but for the fans who support us and deserve transparency for what's at stake. This is a defining moment in the WNBA. As the league grows, it's time for the CBA that reflect our true value. We are fighting for a fair share of the business that we built because it is a business. We are not fighting for anything that is unreasonable."

Since the likes of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese joined the league, WNBA attendance and viewership are at an all-time high. But player salaries remain low, averaging just $147,745 as of 2024. Clark, the league's most popular player, is making well below that in 2025 at $78,066.

Cunningham went on to express her hopes for increased player salaries.

"When it comes to salary and revenue share, we are fighting to share in the growth that we've created," she added. "Every other category across the business has grown. That's media rights, ticket sales and team value. The only thing that is still capped is our player salary, which is insane. We deserve a fair share and demand our salary reflect our true value in our business."

The former Phoenix Mercury guard finished with a short summary.

"So we're 25 days away from All-Star, just under four weeks," Cunningham continued. "The clock is ticking... But the current system is unsustainable for us, and that means it's unsustainable for the business that we have created. Nothing short of transformational change will do for the future."

Indiana’s Sophie Cunningham (@sophaller) with a prepared statement in regards to upcoming CBA negotiations with the #WNBA pic.twitter.com/ypwT1HsIIf
— WillieGRamireZ (@WillieGRamirez) June 22, 2025