The 2026 WNBA season is officially penciled in for a May 8th tip-off, but if you’ve been following the boardroom drama, you know that date is written in shifting sand. Tensions between the players and Commissioner Cathy Engelbert remain at an all-time high as the new CBA negotiations drag on without a clear resolution. While the league offices scramble, the stars are busy making their own moves.
The Unrivaled league just leveled up, announcing that its March 2nd semifinals will take over the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, backed by a massive $600,000 prize pool for the winning club. This isn’t just a side hustle anymore; it’s a financial wake-up call that should have both the commissioner and franchise owners sweating over the traditional WNBA pay scale.
Did Sophie Cunningham Just Create a Rift in Indiana?
While most eyes are on the Unrivaled bracket, a few heavy hitters like Caitlin Clark, A’ja Wilson and Napheesa Collier (sidelined by injury) are sitting this one out. Sophie Cunningham also took a different path, opting for the new Project B league over Unrivaled, lured by the promise of even higher salary ceilings.
Cunningham hasn’t been shy about her love for the Hoosier state, recently going on record to say that being traded to the Indiana Fever was the absolute highlight of her WNBA career. However, a recent episode of her “Show Me Something” podcast has fans wondering if that honeymoon phase is hitting a snag.
When discussing the league’s most invested and supportive ownership groups, Cunningham was quick to hand out flowers-just not to her own boss. “I feel like at the front line, owners who are most involved, I would say right now, would be New York, Seattle, and Phoenix. They have the funds… and they’re awesome,” Cunningham noted.
Conspicuously absent from that list was Fever owner Herb Simon. In a league where player-owner relationships are under the microscope more than ever, omitting the man who signs your checks while praising your former team (Phoenix) is the kind of “read between the lines” moment that front offices don’t usually ignore.
Free Agency and the Race for the 2027 Facilities
Cunningham seemed to realize the social media stir her comments caused, quickly pivoting a few days later to praise the infrastructure being built in Indianapolis. She highlighted that Indiana is currently constructing one of the “best practice facilities in the entire world,” scheduled to open in 2027.
It’s no secret that this sudden influx of investment is a direct result of the “Caitlin Clark effect”, the massive wave of popularity and revenue that the superstar rookie brought to the franchise last season.
At 29 years old, Cunningham finds herself at a fascinating career junction. She really wants to be a part of the Fever’s long-term vision. The lure of playing alongside a healthy Caitlin Clark in her much-anticipated comeback season is a dream scenario for any shooter. The question now is whether the Fever front office views Cunningham as a core piece of that 2027 future, or if her podcast candor just opened the door for another team to swoon the veteran guard away.
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