Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham was fined $500 for a TikTok video criticizing WNBA referees. Within the clip, the 28-year-old seemed to be in a resort room, lip syncing to a soundbite from singer Sabrina Carpenter’s music “Manchild.”
The audio sings, “Silly or is it sluggish? Possibly it’s ineffective.” Cunningham pointed across the room with every adjective and wrote “@ some refs” over the clip.
Posted on July 18, the video has since gained 1.2 million views on TikTok. 5 days later, Cunningham took to X and laughed on the consequence she confronted for the social media put up.
“I received fined $500 for this TikTok. idk why that is humorous to me,” Cunningham wrote. “Like okay, you bought it bud! Trigger theres no more vital issues to be fearful about with our league proper now.”
It’s not the primary time the Fever have come underneath fireplace following feedback on league officiating this 12 months; Cunningham’s penalty got here simply months after Indiana coach Stephanie White revealed in Could that she was additionally fined for criticizing referees.
After a loss to the Washington Mystics, White was requested if she thought the WNBA ought to defend athletes from “deliberately tough play.”
“Clearly, I believe we are able to get higher in sure areas so far as how we name the sport, consistency with how we name the sport,” White responded. “Are we going to say that we would like a free-flowing offensive recreation, or are we going to have powerful, grind-out bodily video games? And no matter means it’s, the gamers will regulate and coaches will regulate, however we cant have it’s a method one quarter and one other means, one other quarter.
“I dont suppose collectively, as a complete, the league has to step in and do one thing. I simply suppose that there must be some enhancements in sure areas,” She continued. “Are we attempting to get me fined once more? As a result of I did simply get fined.”
Other than the best way video games are known as, gamers have been advocating for higher play amid talks of a brand new collective-bargaining settlement. In the course of the WNBA All-Star recreation on Sunday, gamers took to the courtroom carrying shirts donning the textual content, “Pay us what you owe us.”
Their protest got here after gamers brazenly spoke about their calls for in current months and dissatisfaction with the state of talks amid the All-Star break. Gamers stood their floor concerning the distribution of cash within the WNBA, because the league is reportedly set to earn $200 million per 12 months from its media rights and cost a $250 million payment from every of the three incoming growth groups.
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