You’d hope Tuesday was a wake-up name for Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham.
Tuesday night, the Fever gained the Commissioner’s Cup, the WNBA’s in-season event. Dozens of individuals watched, because the Fever have been with out Caitlin Clark as a consequence of a groin damage.
However off the courtroom, Cunningham stole the headlines as a consequence of uninformed feedback surrounding the WNBA’s upcoming enlargement to Cleveland in 2028 and Detroit in 2029.
“I don’t know the way excited individuals are to be going to Detroit or Cincinnati,” Cunningham mentioned to wrap up an ignorant rant in regards to the league’s upcoming enlargement.
Let’s have a fast actuality verify right here.
Regardless of report viewership and attendance, the WNBA misplaced roughly $40 million in 2024. And but, they’re nonetheless increasing.
Cunningham was so uninformed she acknowledged that no person needs to go to Cincinnati, which is 4 hours away from Northeast Ohio. As an alternative, she provided Miami and Nashville as various areas the place gamers would truly wish to go.
Detroit and Cleveland are nice sports activities cities. Miami and Nashville are nice social gathering cities.
Sophie, that is about rising the game. That is about giving alternative to extra ladies who’ve earned an opportunity to play skilled basketball however wouldn’t have room on a roster for the reason that league solely has 13 groups.
Cunningham’s celeb has skyrocketed in current weeks after a bodily altercation in protection of Clark in opposition to the Connecticut Solar. She averages 5.6 factors per sport. This isn’t an enormous celebrity right here, regardless of her web reputation.
The truth is, it’s a participant that ought to be cautious of what she says, as a result of she may discover herself firmly planted within the mixture of WNBA enlargement drafts in seasons to come back.
Each Detroit and Cleveland have had WNBA groups prior to now, however the financial struggles of the league brought on these groups to fold up. The Detroit Shock had gained three WNBA titles and led the league in attendance for 3 straight seasons.
Town of Cleveland has morphed right into a passionate basketball city due to the homegrown wonders of LeBron James. Cleveland Cavaliers proprietor Dan Gilbert, who’s a Michigan native, had some smart phrases for the 28-year-old guard from Missouri.
“It’s best to help your Midwest sisters on this league and these two nice cities that you just’re going to come back to know and love very shortly.”
The Midwest has had sufficient. These are nice sports activities cities which have earned slightly little bit of respect. Small cities? Certain. However these are the kind of markets the place the WNBA can discover a sliver of success.
