In the high-stakes world of professional sports, there has always been a tacit agreement: you play well, you win championships, and then—and only then—you get the fame, the endorsements, and the magazine covers. It is a meritocracy built on statistics and silverware, a system where the best athletes are naturally the most celebrated. But in 2025, that rulebook is being rewritten, and the author is not a multi-time MVP or a global basketball deity. It is Sophie Cunningham.

When Cunningham walked onto the set of Good Morning America this week, flashing her signature smile and talking about the Kansas City Chiefs, she didn’t just promote a fast-food partnership. she set off a firestorm within the WNBA community. To the casual viewer, it was a lighthearted segment. To the die-hard basketball purist, it was a declaration of war against the old order. The uproar highlights a growing tension in women’s sports: the clash between legacy and virality, between production on the court and performance in the “attention economy.”

The Uncomfortable Truth About Popularity

Let’s address the elephant in the room. Sophie Cunningham is a talented basketball player, a gritty competitor, and a valuable asset to the Indiana Fever. But if we are looking strictly at basketball resumes, she is not in the same stratosphere as A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, or even her own teammate, Aliyah Boston. She doesn’t have the MVP trophies or the Olympic gold medals that usually serve as the keys to the kingdom of mainstream media.

Yet, by almost every metric that matters to advertisers and media executives—clicks, views, social media engagement, and cultural relevance—Sophie Cunningham is arguably the second most popular player in the WNBA, trailing only the phenomenon that is Caitlin Clark. This reality is what has the “old guard” of the WNBA in shambles. They are struggling to reconcile a world where a player can bypass the traditional hierarchy of “pay your dues” and rocket straight to stardom simply by being interesting, relatable, and undeniably viral.

The Blueprint: How to Win the Internet

Cunningham’s rise is not an accident; it is a masterclass in modern branding. She understood early on that in the digital age, being a “villain” or a “personality” pays just as well, if not better, than being a quiet achiever. Her tunnel walks are not just outfits; they are strategic content designed to trend. Her on-court skirmishes, like the infamous moment with Jacy Sheldon, aren’t just fouls; they are viral clips that get circulated millions of times, cementing her status as a player you have to watch, even if just to see what she does next.

The Good Morning America appearance was the culmination of this strategy. She was there ostensibly to talk about Arby’s, a partnership born from a TikTok video where she genuinely praised the brand’s roast beef and curly fries. Arby’s didn’t pick her because she averages a double-double. They picked her because she moves the needle. They saw a player who understands how to talk to the camera, how to be authentic, and how to sell a product without sounding like a robot. In a segment sponsored by steak nuggets, Cunningham displayed more charisma than many athletes show in their entire careers.

The Podcast Wars: Numbers Don’t Lie

Perhaps the most shocking evidence of Cunningham’s dominance is her podcast numbers. Broadcasting on “The Volume,” Colin Cowherd’s network, her show is quietly outperforming podcasts hosted by players with significantly higher profiles.

Data indicates that Cunningham’s show is pulling in views that rival, and in some cases surpass, Angel Reese’s podcast. While Reese is a global superstar with a massive following, Cunningham’s consistency and relatability have carved out a loyal niche. She isn’t relying on celebrity guests or clickbait; she is relying on her own voice. This is a bitter pill for the establishment to swallow. It suggests that fans are tuning in for Sophie, not just for the WNBA shield. She has transcended her sport to become a media personality in her own right, a feat that usually takes decades for athletes to achieve.

The Attention Economy vs. The Meritocracy

The backlash to Cunningham’s rise stems from a fundamental misunderstanding of the modern sports landscape. Critics argue that spots on national television should be reserved for the “best” players. They contend that by highlighting Cunningham, the media is doing a disservice to the legends of the game who have achieved more on the hardwood.

However, television networks and brands are not charities. They are businesses driven by viewership and engagement. A’ja Wilson may be the best player in the world, but if her brand doesn’t translate to a morning show audience in the same way Cunningham’s does, the networks will choose the latter. Cunningham bridges the gap between the hardcore basketball fan and the casual observer. She can talk about Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce with the ease of a seasoned commentator, making her accessible to millions of Americans who couldn’t name the WNBA’s starting five.

A New Era for the WNBA

Sophie Cunningham’s success is a signal flare for the future of the league. It proves that players have the power to build their own empires, independent of the league’s marketing machine or the approval of traditional gatekeepers. She is showing the next generation of athletes that while you must perform on the court, you must also perform online. You have to be a content creator, a brand ambassador, and a storyteller.

The “hate” she receives is merely a symptom of a system in transition. The gatekeepers are losing their keys. The players who understand the value of their own likeness are kicking the doors down. Sophie Cunningham isn’t just eating curly fries on TV; she is feasting on the opportunities that the new world of sports media provides.

For the WNBA to truly grow, it needs to embrace this. It needs characters. It needs villains. It needs fashion icons. It needs players who can sell steak nuggets to a grandmother in Ohio just as easily as they can hit a three-pointer. Sophie Cunningham is all of those things. The establishment might be in shambles, but for Sophie Cunningham, business has never been better. The blueprint has been drawn, and it’s up to the rest of the league to decide if they want to follow it or get left behind in the dust of the old world.