‘Boycott this league’: Outrage after fan forced to remove sign supporting Sophie Cunningham - Yahoo Sports

What the report says

The Comeback reported that controversy around Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham followed the team into its Tuesday night road game against the Seattle Storm in Seattle, the Fever’s first game after the 2026 All-Star Weekend. The discussion centered on Cunningham’s recent ESPN profile, where she said she wanted to “protect women’s sports” while responding to criticism that her views were anti-transgender.

According to the report, Cunningham’s comments split reaction among media figures, fans and Seattle community members, with a planned rally in support of her before the game also drawing opposition. Inside the arena, one fan near the court displayed a sign saying “NO HATE IN THE UNITED STATES,” while another held a pro-Cunningham message reading, “Thank you Sophie for speaking up for girls.”

The Comeback cited a widely followed aggregation account on X that said the fan with the pro-Cunningham sign, who also wore a shirt referencing X and Y chromosomes, was made to take the sign down. The article described sharp online responses afterward, including complaints that arena enforcement appeared selective and at least one call to boycott the league.

On the court, Indiana beat Seattle 105-95. The episode matters beyond the result because it highlights the WNBA’s challenge in managing fan expression, arena rules and public debate over transgender participation in sports, while players’ comments on divisive social issues can quickly become part of the game-night atmosphere.