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 Says WNBA Must Invest More in Its Referees
Cunningham has frequently criticized officials, but this time, she is making a case for investing in them rather than simply calling out their mistakes. The Fever sharpshooter believes the WNBA cannot expect better officiating without giving referees a reason to commit more of their time to the league.
“They don’t get paid enough,” Cunningham said on the latest episode of No Hesitation with Sophie Cunningham & Drew Hanlen. “If we pay them more, their investment level will be a lot higher. Hopefully that means their skill level will be higher.”
She also pointed out that referees often work games outside the WNBA during the offseason, which could leave them juggling multiple commitments instead of focusing on improving their work in the league.
“Maybe they’ll be more rested. Maybe they’ll not have to work so many games in the offseason. Maybe they will be prepared to just be a W ref,” Cunningham continued.
The veteran guard believes the WNBA should become a league where officials want to build their careers, rather than treating it as a stepping stone to the NBA.
“Everyone wants the NBA, but our league should be a platform where refs also want to get to and stay,” she said. “We got to put money where our mouth is.”
Cunningham’s argument comes amid another postseason filled with officiating controversy. The Fever guard pointed out some of those controversies on her podcast.
During Game 2 of the semifinals between the Atlanta Dream and New York Liberty on Oct. 7, confusion over a potential reset timeout in the closing seconds of overtime became a major talking point.
Cunningham highlighted this on her podcast, asking WNBA, “How is this not being taken care of in a quick manner?” She also revisited Game 3 of that series on the show, questioning why Angel Reese was not given a technical for confronting Sabrina Ionescu, while Reese and Jonquel Jones both received technical fouls after a separate exchange.
Those incidents are part of a wider debate about the consistency of WNBA officiating. Last season, Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve blasted the league after a semifinal loss to the Phoenix Mercury, calling the selection of the officiating crew “[expletive] malpractice.”
In July, Caitlin Clark also argued that the league needed to invest more in referees and pay them like full-time employees.
The pay gap helps further explain Cunningham’s argument. Reported estimates put WNBA referees’ compensation at roughly $2,000 per game, compared with $3,000 to $7,000 per game in the NBA.
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WNBA officials are paid primarily on a per-game basis, making their working arrangements different from those of NBA referees.
For Cunningham, the issue goes beyond individual calls or one frustrating playoff game. She believes referees are an important part of the product, and the league needs to treat them accordingly.
“If we are not happy, they’re part of the product. They’re part of the game. And so we need to make sure that they’re taken care of,” the 3-and-D specialist added.
Cunningham’s argument boils down to one solution. If the WNBA wants better officiating, it needs to invest in the people responsible for making the calls.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.