By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-08-19 04:41:52 | Updated at 2026-08-19 04:57:21
23 minutes ago
Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham was the target of loud booing from opposing fans when she played her first game in Canada.
In a Tuesday night matchup against the Toronto Tempo, Cunningham was jeered by the 19,300 fans that packed Scotiabank Arena.
Cunningham has become one of the most polarizing figures in all of sports after her statements advocating for measures to be taken to prevent transgender athletes from competing, specifically saying she wants to 'protect young girls' from 'biological men.'
Her outspoken nature on this issue sparked weeks of debate and increased vitriol on social media surrounding the WNBA - a space that has typically been welcoming and inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community and has now been overrun with anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric.
After the game's conclusion, which resulted in a 101-95 victory over the hometown Tempo, Cunningham offered a tongue-in-cheek message of support for the Toronto fanbase.
'I want to shout out the, the Tempo crowd and the city,' Cunningham said in her postgame press conference.
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham offered tongue-in-cheek praise of the Toronto fans
Cunningham was booed by fans at the Scotiabank Center over recent anti-trans statements
Cunningham had one of her best performances of the season in a 101-95 victory
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'I think we've had so much fun. It's my first time being in Canada. It's a lot of our first times being in Canada, but the crowd was absolutely amazing.
'And, you know, I think that's what sports is all about. You're going to get boos, you're going to get cheers. But just the fact that they're so passionate, they're loud, and they're putting on for the city, I think it's amazing. So shout out to you guys for coming out and supporting.'
Cunningham played one of the better games of her season, dropping 13 points, two rebounds and two assists in the win.
The game comes just days after a pair of fans were told to cover up or remove shirts supporting the anti-trans movement before attending a game in Atlanta on Sunday.
Georgia residents Kasey Thomason and her 17-year-old daughter, Annie, were sitting three rows back at Gateway Center Arena during the Indiana Fever's 95-91 win over the Atlanta Dream when stadium staff confronted them in overtime.
The duo, who paid $1,000 each for their lower-level seats, were wearing shirts from XX-XY Athletics, a brand that advocates for the prevention of transgender athletes from competing in women's sports.
Security guards allegedly informed the pair that their attire was 'offensive' and violated arena guidelines, instructing them to cover up with promotional t-shirts or face immediate removal from the building.
'We did nothing,' Thomason said outside the arena following the game. 'We were just sitting there. I didn't make signs. I wanted to make signs, but I didn't. I did nothing.'
Thomason claimed that another spectator wearing a 'Protect Trans Rights' shirt had pointed them out to security after that fan was similarly instructed to zip up a jacket over her shirt.
