‘Jealousy Is a Disease. She’s Now Bigger Than The League’: Fans Blast WNBPA For Blocking Licensees From Monetizating Sophie Cunningham’s Legendary Finger Point
Sophie Cunningham’s taunting finger point at Phoenix Mercury player DeWanna Bonner after Alyssa Thomas broke the internet when her fist was placed into Caitlin Clark’s neck at the end of a play has elevated Cunningham to even greater heights as a WNBA celebrity.
Despite averaging less than 10 points per game, Cunningham’s role as Caitlin Clark’s enforcer, her sex appeal and her legendary moments in battle on the WNBA court, has put the blond bombshell on a plateau of being almost as famous as her teammate Clark. Those two players reportedly make up 70 percent of total WNBA jersey sales.
However, the entire popularity of the finger point was rooted in a nasty battle between players that spilled over to fans that are divided depending on which side of the Clark fence they fall on. Is she a victim? Or bratty and entitled?
The WNBA isn’t wasting any time trying to limit how much anyone can capitalize on Cunningham’s finger point.
WNBPA Blocking Licensees From Using Sophie Cunningham, Finger-PointImage
According to several outlets, including Yahoo Sports, “The WNBPA says partner brands won’t be able to monetize Sophie Cunningham’s viral moment, noting it generally does not ’feature or look to monetize player conduct from a confrontation between our members.’”
According to reports, Cunningham can still use her own NIL rights to license her viral point, but the WNBPA is reportedly blocking licensees from using the image.
The WNBPA says partner brands won't be able to monetize Sophie Cunningham's viral moment, noting it generally does not "feature or look to monetize player conduct from a confrontation between our members."
As with anything that happens with Cunningham these days that doesn’t seem favorable, fans flooded the comment section with opinions on the WNBPA’s statement. The organization is composed of the same players Clark fans often accused of targeting her and being jealous of her team and teammates’ fame.
According to Front Office Sports,“The union has a group licensing agreement with all WNBA players that allows its brand partners to license players’ name, image, and likeness without directly negotiating with each individual player. However, even if the union refuses to approve a brand deal with one of its partners, players can individually sign sponsorship deals with any brand.
Players are of course free to create and/or license their own product,” the union told FOS. And if any brand wants to use the WNBA’s team logos and branding, they would need to seek approval from the league, not the union.”
Fans React To WNBPA Decision On Monetization Of Sophie Cunningham Finger-Pointing
Cunningham’s fans thought the report was just another instance of the WNBA hating on the straight, white stars of the league who have exploded in popularity.
“Jealousy is a disease. She’s now bigger than the league,” one fan said.
“The league not wanting to profit off a confrontation between its own players makes sense on paper, but letting Cunningham pursue her own deal for it is a smart middle ground. She earned the moment, the league just doesn’t need to cash in on drama between teammates… err, opponents,” another commented.
“Pretty straight white girl pointing at ugly black bull lesbian is not OK. But they are OK with A’ja Wilson openly saying they target straight white players for assaults,” a third fan complained.
Fans are calling the WNBPA haters after the players union says partner brands won’t be able to monetize Sophie Cunningham’s viral finger-point moment because it highlights confrontation among its players. (Photo: Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images)
Some fans approved of the move, not wanting the WNBA to become more of a circus as it already has when it comes to beefs between players and the league and social media.
“This attention seeker does everything on the basketball floor except make basketball plays,” one fan said of Cunningham.
“Good with her ignorant ass! She f-ck around and point at the wrong person and they going to put those mf paws on her. Pointing in a mf face is like spitting and me personally I would whoop her ass if she pointed in my face,” one strident netizen commented on X.
To which a Cunningham supporter replied:
“I doubt you could whoop your own ass. You are obviously exposing your anger and racism towards her. You are iconic for why the wnba is a failure.”
“The WNBA is too racist and full of heterophobia to embrace their growth because it’s coming from normal straight white women – they keep trying to repackage it in the woke vision but it fails at each turn!,” a user wrote on X.
“You mean they are against White players,” quipped another Indiana Fever fan.
With all of the things going on in the WNBA and the All-Star Game being played on Saturday, July 25, it seems as if the league is spending more time trying to dim the shine of its most popular players than promote them to the rabid fans who are craving for more. The WNBA is understandably trying to be balanced in featuring its top players, but the fan base is still top-heavy when it comes to who moves the needle.
