Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham and former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines faced criticism from podcast hosts Charlotte Wilder and Madeline Hill on The Athletic Podcast Network. The hosts accused Cunningham and Gaines of promoting a right-wing grift through their public defense of female athletics.
The comments were made on an episode of The Sports Gossip Show following weeks of heightened national debate. Cunningham sparked outcry after advocating for restrictions on transgender participation in female athletics to protect young girls in sport, leading Gaines to attend an Indiana Fever game in support.
While personalities such as Caitlin Clark have avoided commenting on the topic, Cunningham and Gaines have drawn mixed reactions from fans. Wilder and Hill made their position clear during the show.
Podcast Host Criticism
During a segment titled "Sophie Cunningham's right-wing grift," Hill mocked Cunningham's eight-year WNBA career and declared that she is not the best player. The hosts claimed Cunningham's stance was a calculated ploy to build a post-basketball career in conservative media, predicting she would speak at the next RNC.
Wilder targeted Gaines, dismissing the 12-time All-American swimmer as not even a very good one. Gaines held three Southeastern Conference individual titles and finished her career as one of the most decorated athletes in Kentucky program history.
The hosts also criticized young fans attending WNBA games in pro-women's sports apparel, branding their clothing and signs as explicitly anti-trans. Hill and Wilder suggested that young teenage girls supporting Cunningham and Gaines lacked basic critical thinking skills.
Arena Sign Dispute
The criticism comes amid an escalating culture war surrounding the WNBA. On Sunday, Gaines attended the Indiana Fever game against the Minnesota Lynx at Target Center in Minneapolis to show support for Cunningham, but she was confronted by arena staff.
Gaines brought a sign reading "Sophie, Thank You - A Girl Mom" and noted she had measured it with a ruler to ensure it met the 11 by 17 inch venue limit. Retired gymnast Jennifer Sey posted on X that staff told Gaines to put the sign down.
Gaines reposted Sey's message on X, adding that there were no fewer than 1000 signs in the arena, most with trans paraphernalia, and she was the only person told to put her sign down. She told OutKick that an arena staffer in all-black official clothing pointed at her and said she had to take the sign down because it contained Cunningham's name.
Fans in the section expressed outrage over the staffer's instruction, pointing out that other fans held signs displaying players' names. The staffer later returned to apologize to Gaines.
Courtside Photo and Demonstrations
Gaines kept her sign and joined Cunningham and Sey for a courtside photo after the Minnesota Lynx defeated the Indiana Fever 108-100. All three posed while performing Cunningham's point gesture toward the camera.
Gaines shared the photo on Instagram, writing that she shows up for Cunningham because Cunningham shows up for her daughter. Cunningham liked the Instagram post.
The tension surrounding the event extended beyond the arena, as street demonstrations turned chaotic outside Target Center ahead of tip-off in Minneapolis.
