Jennifer Sey, founder of the women's sportswear brand XX-XY Athletics, has expressed a strong desire to recruit WNBA star Sophie Cunningham as a brand ambassador, stating she would "give my right arm" to convince the Indiana Fever player to leave Adidas.
Sey told Fox News Digital that she has long admired Cunningham, particularly after the WNBA player privately praised XX-XY Athletics' "Dear Nike" campaign in 2024. This campaign challenged Nike to take a public stance against biological males competing in women's sports and garnered over 10 million views. Sey believes Cunningham embodies the values of her brand due to her athleticism, personality, and outspoken nature.
According to Sey, communication with Cunningham began when the WNBA player liked and commented on the "Dear Nike" ad. Cunningham subsequently sent Sey a private direct message on social media praising the campaign. However, Sey claims she did not see the message for several months, as it was filtered into a folder for messages from accounts she did not follow.
"She’s the perfect person for us," Sey said. "We have wanted to work with her for such a long time." Sey added that Cunningham has an "incredible personality" and is "fun and she’s funny and she’s tough and she says what she thinks."
Cunningham is currently under contract with Adidas and is set to release her first player-exclusive shoe with the company. Sey criticized Adidas for not publicly supporting Cunningham's stance on protecting women's sports, stating, "Adidas is not a brand that supports women." She pointed to past Adidas campaigns, including one featuring a male-presenting model in swimwear sold in the women's section, and the company's sponsorship of events with inclusive transgender athlete policies.
Despite the financial disparity between XX-XY Athletics and Adidas, Sey believes her brand can offer Cunningham a unique partnership. Sey, who previously held marketing leadership roles at Levi Strauss & Co., emphasized building relationships over solely offering large financial incentives. She stated that while XX-XY could not match Adidas's pay, Cunningham would receive top billing and unconditional support, essentially being the "number one" athlete on the roster.
Sey also proposed a larger collaboration: leveraging Cunningham's viral finger-pointing image, similar to the way Michael Jordan's Jumpman pose became the symbol for the Jordan Brand. Sey envisions this image as the logo for a potential XX-XY Cunningham collection, offering Cunningham all proceeds from a related hoodie. The WNBA Players Association had previously declined to allow its group licensees to commercialize the image, though they clarified that Cunningham is free to license or create her own products.
Cunningham's profile has grown significantly, particularly since joining the Indiana Fever in 2025. She gained recognition as Caitlin Clark's on-court defender and has since become a prominent personality in the WNBA. Her outspoken views on protecting women's sports have drawn attention, with Cunningham telling ESPN that she believes girls "shouldn’t have to go against biological men" in sports. She later characterized her position as "common sense" while asserting she does not hate transgender people. The Indiana Fever organization has stated that its players are entitled to their own perspectives and voices.