Caitlin Clark, one of the greatest that the Indiana Fever has ever acquired, drove a reported 1,000% year-over-year increase in merchandise sales during her rookie campaign. But after a most contentious of standoffs regarding the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), Sophie Cunningham believes that the relationship between the talent and the league office may be fractured.
Earlier, Cunningham took to her “Show Me Something” podcast to address the WNBA’s financial structure, labeling it a “laughingstock of sports.” The central grievance involves a revenue-sharing clause affecting Clark, where 50% of jersey revenue is paid to the union rather than the athlete. On Tuesday, during the episode, Cunningham was asked about the current state of negotiations, and she declined to offer optimism:
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“It all is very determined on the CBA. [If a deal is not reached], it’s going to be legit a [expletive] show.”
WNBA Commissioner’s Cup champion, Cunningham, provided an answer regarding the league’s strategy herself:
“They’re waiting for us players to crack… We are unified as it gets right now, and like if we don’t have a season that says a lot more about the WNBA league than us because we’re ready.”
Sophie Cunningham Targets Commissioner Cathy Engelbert for League’s Financial Fumbles
Indiana Fever guards Caitlin Clark (22) and Sophie Cunningham (8). © Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
(© Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Commissioner Cathy Engelbert received significant criticism for the league’s handling of finances from Cunningham, who commented in October:
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“The most delusional leader our league has seen.”
The first point of contention was the complete lack of financial stagnation surrounding Caitlin Clark. According to Just Womens Sports, Clark’s jersey was the second-best-selling in the world in 2024, trailing only Stephen Curry. Yet, her base salary remained at $78,066.
The biggest blame, however, went to the league’s revenue distribution model, which Cunningham alleges allows the league to retain $98 for every $2 paid to players.
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“Let me explain that. If you’re the league and I’m the player and you buy my jersey and I’m a male, say I’m on the in the NBA, if you’re paying $100, the league gets $50, I get $50. Okay. Right now in the W, it’s like the league gets $97-98 and I get two.”
The league also drew a stray for offering a “smoke screen” of minor salary cap adjustments – between $50,000 and $100,000 per team – rather than addressing the true value of the players.
The WNBA will have one of the biggest deadlines of its history so far on March 10: a do-or-die date to avoid roster disruption before the college draft. And at least one veteran has come to the union’s defense as it looms.
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The league has been facing much criticism over its proposal to extend the season into late November with ten additional games. It has even come to the point that Cunningham alleged the league refused to discuss revenue sharing during the most recent discussions.
But on Tuesday’s edition of her podcast, the former Missouri Tigers icon defended the holdout:
“We are unified as it gets right now…” as Clark effectively subsidizes the rest of the league’s player pool under the current model.
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The WNBPA, which confirmed the league met the threshold for a $9.25 million licensing payout on Feb. 23, has instead seen the distribution of those funds become a point of bitter contention, according to TSN.
Cunningham also said that if a deal is not reached, then the situation regarding the expansion draft and free agency could devolve further, leaving the league facing an uncertain future.
Related: Caitlin Clark Sends Message to Sophie Cunningham After Personal Update
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Mar 5, 2026, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.