Fever's Sophie Cunningham Sends Strong 'Fighting' Message on WNBA CBA Negotiations

While the 2025 WNBA regular season is well underway at this point, one of the biggest storylines that is simmering beneath the surface of everything that takes place on the court is that the WNBA and the league's players association (WNBPA) are deep in negotiations for the next Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), as the current one expires after this current season ends.

These CBA negotiations will be integral to the league's growth and continued development, and among the many aspects of it that players are lobbying for as increased salaries. While it's no surprise that both sides aren't necessarily seeing eye-to-eye, a prepared statement that Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham made before her team's June 22 game against the Las Vegas Aces suggests frustration on the players' side.

"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 said while reading off of her phone, per an X post from @WillieGRamireZ.

"But we do want to set the record straight, not for the headlines but for the fans who support us and deserve transparency. What's at stake: 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've built, because it is a business. We are not fighting for anything that's unreasonable.

"When it comes to salary and revenue share, we are fighting to share in the growth that we've created. Every other category across the business has grown... the only thing that is still capped is our player salaries, which is insane," Cunningham continued. "We deserve a fair share, and we're demanding salaries to reflect our true value in the business."

She concluded with, "The clock is ticking. We come out here and play most of every night in front of these fans. We will continue to do that, 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 we see."

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

This is certainly a strong message that many other players will likely echo today, and as the negotiations continue.

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