PLAYERS SPEAK OUT! Sophie Cunningham delivers a clear message about the WNBA’s future and demands fair compensation for players. The clock is ticking – what’s next for the league?

Sophie Cunningham Sends Powerful Message to WNBA: “We Want Our Fair Share”

Sophie Cunningham isn’t mincing words when it comes to the future of the WNBA. Ahead of next month’s highly anticipated All-Star Game, the Indiana Fever star delivered a bold and unified message to the league: it’s time for the players to get their fair share.

With the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) still under negotiation, Cunningham, 28, stood alongside her teammate Sydney Colson before Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Aces, reading a prepared statement on behalf of her team and the entire players’ union.

“On behalf of my teammates and every member of our union, I want to be very clear that we remain committed to negotiating the next CBA with the league and the teams in good faith and privately,” Cunningham declared. “But we do want to set the record straight. This is a defining moment in the WNBA. As the league grows, it’s time for a CBA that reflects our true value. We are fighting for a fair share of the business that we built.”

Sydney Colson echoed her teammate’s call for change, emphasizing the need for player salaries to match the league’s rapid growth. “We believe that it is imperative that our CBA reflects the growth that we’ve experienced in the league,” Colson told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “Players should be seeing part of those earnings.”

With the All-Star Game set for July 19, WNBA players are hoping to see significant progress in negotiations. According to a source cited by Front Office Sports, “They want to see significant progress by [All-Star]. They want not just a fair deal but a transformational deal negotiated on time.”

The league has responded, stating that discussions with the Women’s National Basketball Players Association are ongoing. “The WNBA continues to meet regularly with the Women’s National Basketball Players Association and engage in constructive dialogue as part of our ongoing collective bargaining discussions,” a spokesperson said.

Currently, minimum salaries for WNBA players reportedly start at $66,079 per year, while top stars can earn up to $250,000. But those numbers could soar, thanks to the WNBA’s record-breaking $2.2 billion media-rights deal—the largest in league history—set to run for the next 11 years. The extent of the salary increases, however, will depend on the outcome of ongoing CBA negotiations.

Back in April, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert expressed optimism about reaching an agreement. “I’m very optimistic that we’ll get something done and it’ll be transformational,” she said.

As the league stands at a crossroads, Cunningham’s message is loud and clear: the players are ready for the next chapter—and they want the respect, recognition, and compensation they deserve.