Sophie Cunningham makes feelings clear on 'Pay us what you owe us' as Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier lead WNBA All-Stars protest

WNBA: Indiana Fever at Chicago Sky - Source: Imagn
Sophie Cunningham makes feelings clear on 'Pay us what you owe us' as Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier lead WNBA All-Stars protest - Source: Imagn

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham wasn't on the court to demand more pay during the WNBA All-Star Game, but she still made her stance known. The former Missouri standout shared her feelings on the CBA negotiations between the league and the players' union, the WNBPA.

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Alongside a video of players at the All-Star weekend sporting black "Pay Us What You Owe Us" T-shirts, the WNBPA wrote in the caption:

"WE - THE PLAYERS - ARE UNITED AND COMMITTED TO FIGHTING FOR WHAT WE DESERVE. THE TEAMS AND THE LEAGUE OWE US THAT."

Cunningham commented on the post with a one-word response.

"PERIOD," she wrote on Saturday.
Sophie Cunningham’s comment/Instagram @thewnbpa
Sophie Cunningham’s comment/Instagram @thewnbpa

Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier, as team captains, led their players to wear black warm-up "Pay Us What You Owe Us" T-shirts. It was a bold statement regarding league revenues amid ongoing CBA negotiations.

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The current CBA agreement expires on Oct. 31. Delays in reaching a new deal have led to a deadlock due to key issues, including revenue sharing, salaries and player benefits.

Players are demanding more because the league is experiencing hypergrowth, as TV viewership is up 23%, attendance is high, merchandise sales are booming and a massive $2.2 billion media rights deal starts in 2026.

The WNBPA, led by Nneka Ogwumike and Kelsey Plum, is reportedly demanding a compensation structure that better reflects the league's rising revenues. While it appears that negotiations are still deadlocked, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert labeled talks that took place on Thursday as "constructive," while some players called it a "wasted opportunity."

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Sophie Cunningham calls out WNBA referees

Sophie Cunningham joined other players in calling out WNBA referees. On Friday, she discussed the level of officiating, which has come under intense pressure in recent games, in a TikTok video.

She sang along to the lyrics: "Stupid, or is it slow? Maybe it's useless."
"I'm just trollin," she wrote while also captioning the video with "@ some refs."
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WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert broke her silence on the issue.

“We hear the concerns, we take that input," Engelbert said Saturday (via Indy Star reporter Chloe Peterson). "Every play is reviewed. … There’s an independent evaluation of officials. There are ramifications. It’s something we need to continue to work on.”

Cunningham isn't the only WNBA player to publicly air their mind on the issue recently. On X, Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese asked the league to "do better" with the level of officiating.

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Edited by Victor R. Lopez M.
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