Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham sparked controversy with recent comments questioning the WNBA’s decision to expand to Detroit, Cleveland, and Philadelphia. During a media session, Cunningham suggested that cities like Miami, Nashville, and Kansas City might have been more appealing for player excitement and fan engagement. She expressed concerns about the league expanding too quickly and questioned the enthusiasm for these Midwest cities .
Her remarks drew criticism from fans and officials in Detroit and Cleveland. The City of Detroit responded by highlighting the rich basketball history of the city, noting that the Detroit Shock ranked in the top five for WNBA attendance for five consecutive seasons and set a single-game attendance record of 22,076 fans at Game 3 of the 2003 WNBA Finals .
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Dan Skipper also weighed in, defending the city. He posted on social media, “You ever been there? Pretty good place to play, well not for you now,” accompanied by a video of Cunningham’s comments .
Cunningham’s comments have ignited a broader debate about the WNBA’s expansion strategy and the importance of considering player and fan perspectives in the league’s growth.
Detroit Responds Strongly to Sophie Cunningham’s Criticism of WNBA Expansion
