Chicago Sky address Sophie Cunningham rally planned outside home game vs Fever
The Chicago Sky have addressed the upcoming Sophie Cunningham rally set to take place outside the United Center on Saturday ahead of the Sky's game against the Indiana Fever.
"The Chicago Sky are committed to providing a welcoming space for all, and we remain focused on basketball and offering fans a great experience at the United Center. As always, we expect that everyone will continue to follow all standard arena safety, security, media and fan code-of-conduct policies and protocols," read a statement provided to Fox News Digital.
Saturday's game will see the fourth rally in support of Cunningham after she publicly came out in support of protecting women's sports from biological males, in an ESPN article that published last month.
Rallies have already taken place ahead of Fever games in Seattle, Portland and Minneapolis, and a fifth is already scheduled to take place in New York ahead of the Fever's game against the Liberty on Aug. 22.
The WNBA has seen a surge in attention around the issue of biological males in women's sports in recent weeks, as four head coaches have come under scrutiny after sharing their thoughts on the subject, while former NBA player Enes Kanter-Freedom announced Friday he is declaring to play in the WNBA.
FORMER NBA FIRST ROUND PICK ENES KANTER FREEDOM DECLARES FOR 2027 WNBA DRAFT
The Cunningham rallies helped ignite that growth in awareness, as they have turned Fever road games into recurring flashpoints in the debate over transgender participation in women’s sports. The Seattle stop resulted in discipline for Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton after two teenage Cunningham supporters alleged that she cursed at them courtside.
Saturday’s rally will bring that debate to another major WNBA market, and the planned New York demonstration signals it will not end in Chicago.