{"id":26812,"date":"2026-08-04T03:30:12","date_gmt":"2026-08-03T22:30:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=26812"},"modified":"2026-08-04T03:30:12","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T22:30:12","slug":"clay-travis-pledges-10m-for-battle-of-the-sexes-matchup-as-wnba-trans-debate-intensifies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=26812","title":{"rendered":"Clay Travis pledges $10M for \u2018battle of the sexes\u2019 matchup as WNBA trans debate intensifies"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"speakable\">OutKick founder Clay Travis challenged the <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_media_article_main-content_article-body_6_313871\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/sports\/wnba\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">WNBA<\/a> on Monday, offering a $10 million prize to stage a &#8220;modern-day battle of the sexes&#8221; basketball game between the reigning WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces and a boys&#8217; high school basketball state championship team.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"speakable\">The challenge comes as the WNBA finds itself at the center of a transgender culture debate after <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_media_article_main-content_article-body_6_313872\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/sports\/wnba\/indiana-fever\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Indiana Fever<\/a> guard Sophie Cunningham, 29, said girls should not have to compete against biological men in women\u2019s sports.<\/p>\n<p>Cunningham\u2019s bold stance to support keeping women\u2019s sports reserved for biological females has generated strong backing \u2013 with some women\u2019s sports advocates even rallying outside her games \u2013 but also <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_media_article_main-content_article-body_6_313873\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/outkick-sports\/trans-activists-harass-hurl-slurs-sophie-cunningham-supporters-fever-game-minnesota\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">fierce backlash<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;If the WNBA really doesn&#8217;t believe that men are that much better than women at basketball, then the champion of the WNBA should be able to beat a bunch of high school boys,&#8221; Travis said Monday on &#8220;The Will Cain Show.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_media_article_main-content_article-body_6_313874\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/media\/sophie-cunningham-sees-support-surge-star-puts-career-line-girls-sports\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM SEES SUPPORT SURGE AFTER STAR PUTS CAREER ON LINE FOR GIRLS SPORTS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/343\/192\/sophie-cunningham-indiana-fever-portland-fire.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/686\/384\/sophie-cunningham-indiana-fever-portland-fire.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/672\/378\/sophie-cunningham-indiana-fever-portland-fire.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1344\/756\/sophie-cunningham-indiana-fever-portland-fire.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/931\/523\/sophie-cunningham-indiana-fever-portland-fire.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1862\/1046\/sophie-cunningham-indiana-fever-portland-fire.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"523\" width=\"931\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/720\/405\/sophie-cunningham-indiana-fever-portland-fire.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1440\/810\/sophie-cunningham-indiana-fever-portland-fire.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"405\" width=\"720\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1200\/675\/sophie-cunningham-indiana-fever-portland-fire.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"Sophie Cunningham reacts during game play against the Portland Fire.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham reacts to game action against the Portland Fire during the first half at Moda Center in Portland, Ore., on July 31, 2026.<\/span> <span>(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;If they are going to <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_media_article_main-content_article-body_6_313875\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/outkick-sports\/u-washington-womens-soccer-team-played-high-school-boys-squad-youll-never-guess-won\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">allow men to play<\/a>, I think we should have an actual game. Not NBA players against WNBA players. High school boys. Let me pick a team,&#8221; the Fox News contributor said.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Travis told Fox News the head-to-head matchup would be broadcast on pay-per-view, with all profits donated to Tunnel to Towers. He predicted the game would generate millions of dollars.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_media_article_main-content_article-body_6_313876\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/outkick-sports\/u-washington-womens-soccer-team-played-high-school-boys-squad-youll-never-guess-won\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>U OF WASHINGTON WOMEN&#8217;S SOCCER TEAM PLAYED A HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SQUAD, AND YOU&#8217;LL NEVER GUESS WHO WON<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/343\/192\/clay-travis-headshot.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/686\/384\/clay-travis-headshot.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/672\/378\/clay-travis-headshot.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1344\/756\/clay-travis-headshot.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/931\/523\/clay-travis-headshot.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1862\/1046\/clay-travis-headshot.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"523\" width=\"931\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/720\/405\/clay-travis-headshot.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1440\/810\/clay-travis-headshot.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"405\" width=\"720\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1200\/675\/clay-travis-headshot.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"Clay Travis\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>Clay Travis serves as a FOX News Media contributor across all platforms discussing the intersection of sports, politics, and culture.<\/span> <!----><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;If the high school boys win, I will give them ten million dollars. If the WNBA team wins, I will give them ten million dollars. I think we would raise tens of millions of dollars for charity, and I&#8217;m putting my money where my mouth is,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;They always talk about how they want more money,&#8221; Travis continued. &#8220;This is more money for one basketball game than has ever been paid to win in the history of the sport.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Travis criticized WNBA leadership, saying league officials have not responded to his proposed matchup or addressed what he characterized as the &#8220;absolutely ludicrous&#8221; and &#8220;absurd&#8221; idea of <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_media_article_main-content_article-body_6_313877\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/sports\/wnba-player-faces-backlash-op-ed-criticizing-ioc-policy-protect-womens-sports\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">allowing biological males to compete<\/a> in the women&#8217;s league.<\/p>\n<div data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/343\/192\/fan-sophie-cunningham-sign-wnba.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/686\/384\/fan-sophie-cunningham-sign-wnba.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/672\/378\/fan-sophie-cunningham-sign-wnba.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1344\/756\/fan-sophie-cunningham-sign-wnba.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/931\/523\/fan-sophie-cunningham-sign-wnba.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1862\/1046\/fan-sophie-cunningham-sign-wnba.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"523\" width=\"931\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/720\/405\/fan-sophie-cunningham-sign-wnba.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1440\/810\/fan-sophie-cunningham-sign-wnba.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"405\" width=\"720\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1200\/675\/fan-sophie-cunningham-sign-wnba.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"Fan holds a Sophie Cunningham sign during the first half at Climate Pledge Arena.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>A fan holds an Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham sign during the first half between the Seattle Storm and the Indiana Fever at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Wash., on July 28, 2026.<\/span> <span>(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a href=\"https:\/\/foxnews.onelink.me\/xLDS?pid=AppArticleLink&amp;af_dp=foxnewsaf%3A%2F%2F&amp;af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fapps-products\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">He took aim at <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_media_article_main-content_article-body_6_313879\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/outkick-sports\/republican-lawmakers-press-wnba-commissioner-cathy-engelbert-protect-caitlin-clark\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert<\/a>, condemning her for not publicly defending Cunningham or speaking in favor of <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_media_article_main-content_article-body_6_313880\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/outkick-sports\/white-house-defends-wnba-star-sophie-cunningham-speaks-support-protecting-womens-sports\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">maintaining women&#8217;s-only competition<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;It&#8217;s called the WNBA because it&#8217;s the women&#8217;s basketball association, right?&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;The WNBA commissioner has not spoken out in favor of Sophie Cunningham or even just in favor of basic rules,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <\/p>\n<div class=\"article-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-bio\">\n<p>Nora Moriarty is a Writer at Fox News Digital.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>OutKick founder Clay Travis challenged the WNBA on Monday, offering a $10 million prize to stage a &#8220;modern-day battle of the sexes&#8221; basketball game between the reigning WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces and a boys&#8217; high school basketball state championship team. The challenge comes as the WNBA finds itself at the center of a transgender&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26813,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/ae176860-travis-cunningham.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26812","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-hub"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26812","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=26812"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26812\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/26813"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=26812"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=26812"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=26812"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}