Sophie Cunningham ignited a fierce national debate following her comments about transgender athletes in women’s sports. Her remarks appeared in an ESPN feature by Hallie Grossman titled “Love her or hate her, Sophie Cunningham won’t be ignored.”
Although the Indiana Fever guard claimed political neutrality, her remarks sparked widespread backlash and intense media scrutiny. While critics pushed back hard, Cunningham’s fans continued to gather outside arenas to show their support.
Sophie Cunningham Fans Are Planning a Third Rally in Minnesota Ahead of Sunday’s Game
While Pro-Sophie Cunningham supporters have been very vocal, the reception has hit some rough moments. On Tuesday, the Fever traveled to Seattle for their road game against the Storm.
Fans lined up outside Climate Pledge Arena with banners and posters featuring messages and slogans such as “Thank You, Sophie For Speaking Up For Girls,” “We love you, Sophie,” “With love is truth,” and “I said what I said.”
Tensions reached a high point when Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton reportedly confronted the fans and berated them. Later in the game, the 29-year-old faced loud boos inside the arena.
Following the Fever’s 105-95 win over the Storm, Cunningham took to X to publicly call out Keaton’s behavior as “truly embarrassing.”
FOX’s Jackson Thompson reported that a second rally is scheduled at Moda Center for Friday’s match against the Portland Fire. But the rumor mill suggests that a third rally is also in the works.
I’ll be in Minnesota on Sunday with a special guest for the Fever vs Lynx game.
Join us for a rally outside the arena before the game!
Wear your @xx_xyathletics! I’ll be in mine! pic.twitter.com/V1JPuyerwS
— Jennifer Sey (@JenniferSey) July 30, 2026
Jennifer Sey, CEO of XX-XY Athletics, revealed in an online post that plans are underway for a third pre-game demonstration outside Minneapolis’s Target Center ahead of the Fever’s Sunday clash with the Minnesota Lynx.
“I’ll be in Minnesota on Sunday with a special guest for the Fever vs Lynx game,” Sey posted on social media. “Join us for a rally outside the arena before the game!”
Across 27 games this WNBA season, Cunningham has averaged 9.4 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 22.9 minutes per game while shooting 47.5% from the field, 44.0% from three-point range, and 88.1% from the charity stripe.
Despite the immediate backlash, Cunningham doubled down on her stance, stating, “I said what I said. I think it’s kind of common sense. When it comes to protecting young girls and women in sport, I feel very strongly about that. That’s why you have Title IX. That’s why you have some of the greats in women’s sports.”
The Fever are currently leading the Eastern Conference with an 18-10 record and are on a four-game winning streak. As the WNBA enters the second leg of the regular season, the competition for playoff spots is about to intensify.
With fan demonstrations taking place right outside the arena gates, the ongoing discourse surrounding Cunningham will surely keep the spotlight firmly fixed on Minnesota this weekend.
