Sophie Cunningham, the Indiana Fever’s recent addition, recently made headlines with some harsh comments about the WNBA’s newest expansion teams.
While the league and fans celebrated the WNBA’s expansion to Detroit, Cleveland, and Philadelphia, Cunningham openly questioned the choice of cities. Her remarks quickly drew backlash, not just from fans, but from the cities themselves – especially Cleveland, which didn’t hesitate to respond.
After Cunningham’s comments went public, the reaction from the league’s supporters and the targeted cities was swift. The controversy set the stage for a fiery exchange between Cunningham and the official city accounts, highlighting the passion behind the WNBA’s latest expansion plans.
Sophie Cunningham Put in Her Place by Cleveland, Detroit
The WNBA’s expansion is set to bring three new teams to the league, with Cleveland joining in 2028, Detroit following in 2029, and Philadelphia in 2030. The announcement has generated significant excitement among fans and players alike.
However, Cunningham, who recently joined the Fever, made it clear she was less than thrilled about the expansion cities, specifically calling out Cleveland and Detroit.
“You want to listen to your players, too. Where do they want to play? Where are they gonna get excited to play?” Cunningham asked in a viral clip before mentioning Miami, Nashville, and Kansas City as cities she believes would generate more excitement among players. “I don’t know how excited people are to be going to Cleveland or Detroit.”
Fever star Sophie Cunningham on the WNBA expanding to multiple new cities over the next few years:
“I don’t know how excited people are to be going to Detroit or [Cleveland]” pic.twitter.com/pncwYpMar3
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) July 1, 2025
Neither city took her comments lightly. Fans were quick to react, and the official city accounts soon joined the conversation.
Detroit’s official X account was the first to fire back, referencing the city’s strong history with the WNBA.
“The last time we were home to a WNBA team (Detroit Shock) we ranked top five in attendance for five straight seasons, No. 1 in attendance for three straight seasons and set a single-game attendance record of 22,076 fans at Game 3 of the 2003 WNBA Finals,” the post read.
The last time we were home to a WNBA team (Detroit Shock) we ranked top five in attendance for five straight seasons, No. 1 in attendance for three straight seasons and set a single-game attendance record of 22,076 fans at Game 3 of the 2003 WNBA Finals.
Additionally more than… https://t.co/ePZhzQE1f3
– City of Detroit (@CityofDetroit) July 1, 2025
Detroit’s response didn’t stop there. The city also pointed to the success of the 2024 NFL Draft, which drew more than 700,000 attendees across three days, including a record 275,000 on the first day. The event was widely regarded as a massive win for the city, reinforcing its reputation as a sports town.
“We’re sure we’ll see the same excitement for the WNBA returning,” the post concluded.
Cleveland soon followed with a response of its own, though the city took a more subtle approach. The official Cleveland X account referenced Cunningham’s teammate, Caitlin Clark, who had spoken highly of the city during her time with the Iowa Hawkeyes.
“Sophie, your teammate doesn’t seem to think Cleveland is too bad! We’re proud to have been chosen to host a WNBA team and any player who comes here will feel that legendary passion that Cleveland sports fans show our teams!” the post read before inserting Clark into the drama.
Sophie, your teammate doesn’t seem to think Cleveland is too bad!
We’re proud to have been chosen to host a WNBA team and any player who comes here will feel that legendary passion Cleveland sports fans show our teams! https://t.co/FVQ2NjkmdO pic.twitter.com/dVTCud6w7x
– City of Cleveland (@CityofCleveland) July 1, 2025
The post featured an old video of Clark raving about Cleveland when she was an Iowa Hawkeye and playing in the 2024 NCAA Women’s Final Four at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
“We went to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last night. I think you could stay in there for about a week and still have more things to do. I’d never been to Cleveland before, it’s been awesome,” she said.
Clark also emphasized the city’s basketball connection, noting, “I’m excited to play here, obviously, with LeBron James being the face of Cleveland and being able to play here, where he first started his NBA career, that’s just super cool.”
After six seasons in the league, Cunningham is likely regretting her choice to speak out against the two expansion teams. The backlash from both cities and their fans has put her in the spotlight, and the WNBA’s passionate fan base has made it clear that the expansion is a cause for celebration, not criticism.
