‘They Don’t Get Paid Enough’ — Sophie Cunningham Urges WNBA to Invest More in Referees Amid Officiating Controversy
With the WNBA Finals set to begin, Sophie Cunningham has a message for the league about one of its biggest ongoing problems: officiating. The Indiana Fever guard believes the solution starts with paying referees more, arguing that better compensation could help improve their performance and commitment to the job.
Sophie Cunningham, guard for the Indiana Fever, has called on the WNBA to invest more in its referees, citing ongoing disputes within the league as one of its biggest issues. Cunningham believes that better compensation could enhance referees' performance and commitment to the job. She argues that referees are not adequately remunerated, making them less inclined to invest their time and effort into the league.
Cunningham pointed to a $2,000 per-game salary for WNBA referees, which is significantly less than the $3,000 to $7,000 per game paid to NBA referees. This discrepancy may contribute to referees juggling multiple commitments outside the WNBA during the offseason, thereby affecting their focus on improving their work within the league.
Cunningham urged the WNBA to treat its referees as a vital part of the product, deserving of higher recognition and remuneration.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
