A $500 fine for a TikTok video has Sophie Cunningham, Indiana Fever guard, raising eyebrows and sparking debate about WNBA priorities. The league slapped the penalty on Cunningham on July 23, 2025, after she posted a video on July 18, singing lyrics from Sabrina Carpenter’s “Manchild” that called out referees with words like “stupid,” “slow,” and “useless.” With a caption tagging “some refs,” the post clearly took aim at WNBA officiating, landing her in hot water.
Cunningham, known for her fiery personality, took to social media to share her reaction, posting, “I got fined $500 for this TikTok” with laughing emojis. She added,
“Idk why this is funny to me… like ok you got it bud! Cause there’s not more important things to be worried about with our league right now.”
Her lighthearted jab hints at deeper frustrations, especially as the fine eats up a significant chunk of her earnings. With a 2025 salary of $100,000 over a 44-game season, Cunningham earns about $2,272.73 per game. The $500 fine is over 20% of that per-game pay before taxes, a hefty hit for a single social media post.
This incident comes at a time when WNBA officiating is under scrutiny. The 2025 season has seen growing criticism of referee decisions, and Cunningham’s video adds fuel to that fire. Her post reflects a broader sentiment among players, who are navigating a league in transition. The WNBA expanded to 44 games this year with the addition of the Golden State Valkyries, as noted in the league’s official schedule release. Yet, player salaries, like Cunningham’s, remain modest compared to the league’s growing revenue, a point she’s been vocal about.
A post from X.
Cunningham has been a leading voice in pushing for better pay. Before a June 2025 game against the Las Vegas Aces, she spoke on behalf of the WNBPA, saying,
“We are fighting for a fair share of the business that we’ve built.”
With the current Collective Bargaining Agreement set to expire at the end of 2025, her advocacy highlights the stakes for players seeking financial equity. Her $100,000 salary, while higher than teammates like Caitlin Clark’s $78,066, falls below the 2024 WNBA average of $147,745, underscoring the gap.
The fine, though small in absolute terms, raises questions about the league’s priorities. Is a TikTok post worth over a fifth of a player’s game check?
