{"id":2640857,"date":"2026-08-05T08:51:01","date_gmt":"2026-08-05T12:51:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/minneapolis-sports-anchor-melts-down-after-clay-travis-10m-bet-that-high-school-boys-team-can-beat-wnba-champs\/"},"modified":"2026-08-05T08:54:05","modified_gmt":"2026-08-05T12:54:05","slug":"minneapolis-sports-anchor-melts-down-after-clay-travis-10m-bet-that-high-school-boys-team-can-beat-wnba-champs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/minneapolis-sports-anchor-melts-down-after-clay-travis-10m-bet-that-high-school-boys-team-can-beat-wnba-champs\/","title":{"rendered":"Minneapolis Sports Anchor Melts Down After Clay Travis&#8217; $10M Bet That High School Boys&#8217; Team Can Beat WNBA Champs"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">38<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fminneapolis-sports-anchor-melts-down-after-clay-travis-10m-bet-that-high-school-boys-team-can-beat-wnba-champs%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2640857&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article discusses a controversy surrounding WNBA player Sophie Cunningham\u2019s comments on women\u2019s sports and transgender participation.cunningham emphasized the importance of protecting women&#8217;s sports from transgender women competing, which drew criticism from some media figures like Jana Shortal, who accused Cunningham of sexism and questioned her stance. In response, Clay Travis challenged the idea that trans women have no biological advantage by offering a $10 million bet to see if the WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces coudl beat a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wnba-head-coach-protests-sophie-cunningham-with-trans-kids-shirt-during-game\/\" title=\"... Head Coach Protests Sophie ... with &#039;Trans Kids&#039; ... During ...\">high school boys\u2019 basketball team<\/a>.Travis argues that if gender realities are acknowledged, such a challenge should be accepted to prove whether trans women can truly compete on equal footing. The piece critiques the perceived hypocrisy from those claiming gender is fluid while refusing to accept biological differences, referencing past examples of male athletes easily defeating women as evidence that biology matters. Ultimately, the article calls for a straightforward, evidence-based approach to gender issues in sports and suggests that accepting biological differences is necesary for fair competition.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><br \/>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_0)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_1)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>In the wake of WNBA star Sophie Cunningham\u2019s stunning pronouncement that women are women and men are men, and that men shouldn\u2019t play women\u2019s athletics, sports pundit Clay Travis has gone viral for telling the \u201ctrans women <em>are<\/em> women\u201d crowd to put up or shut up.<\/p>\n<p>And apparently, instead of putting up, the same crowd is getting extremely angry that he\u2019s noticed that men and women are different, physically, and is putting up his own cash to prove it.<\/p>\n<p>In a viral video, Jana Shortal of KARE-TV in Minneapolis criticized Travis, who works at conservative sports outlet OutKick, for offering $10 million if the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/despite-legendary-season-ohtani-time-goes-woke-pick-athlete-year\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Las Vegas Aces<\/a> of the WNBA would beat a men\u2019s high school team of his choice.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI thought to myself, why?\u201d Shortal said. \u201cBut obviously, the answer is because he thinks it\u2019s so impossible for any group of women, let alone the best in the game, that they could ever beat younger and more inexperienced boys.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a thinly veiled sexist joke, revealing the actual truth of how he and his organization feel about women\u2019s sports,\u201d she continued. \u201cIt\u2019s not about caring about them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey think women\u2019s sports are a joke.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Queer anchor whines after Clay Travis offered $10 M to the WNBA\u2019s Las Vegas Aces if they could beat a high school boys team, appearing to completely miss his point.<\/p>\n<p>Travis\u2019 challenge came in response to the trans insanity surrounding the WNBA.<\/p>\n<p>The queer anchor, Jana Shortal,\u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/TnF989GHdJ\">pic.twitter.com\/TnF989GHdJ<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/CollinRugg\/status\/2084778025858859458?\">August 4, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Right. Well, there\u2019s a whole lot of context here that she left out, but the simple truth in TL;DR form is this: If it\u2019s such a joke, then put the Aces out there.<\/p>\n<p>They\u2019re the defending champions. If they\u2019re so elite, they can beat an elite boys\u2019 high school basketball team and pocket the $10 million that Travis offered on Monday.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Important announcement: I am upping my offer, $10 million dollars for a head-to-head basketball game between the defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces and a boy\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >high school state title team<\/a> of my choice. If the Aces beat my team, I will give them $10 million.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/ClayTravis\/status\/2084296546015641818?\">August 3, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>There is, naturally, a lot of context to Shortal\u2019s meltdown that she\u2019s leaving out.<\/p>\n<p>This all began during a July ESPN piece on Cunningham, the Indiana Fever guard best known for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/fact-check-wnba-ban-sophie-cunningham-pointing-racist\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">That Pointing Meme\u2122<\/a>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/sophie-cunningham-stands-young-girls-battling-trans-mob-love-truth\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cunningham took a lot of flak<\/a> for saying that she would \u201cprotect women\u2019s sports\u201d during the interview.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I\u2019m like, \u2018I never once said that,\u2019\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with that love is truth, being honest. And I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn\u2019t have to go against biological men.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>When questioned about this stance, her response was: \u201cI said what I said.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/hashtag\/Fever?src=hash&#038;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Fever<\/a> guard Sophie Cunningham on her trans comments in ESPN:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI said what I said. I think it\u2019s kind of common sense. \u2026 I think it\u2019s really important to protect children.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t dislike anyone. \u2026 I\u2019m there to love, but I\u2019m also there to love biological women. \u2026\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/3OrIqoVYrk\">pic.twitter.com\/3OrIqoVYrk<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/RomeovilleKid\/status\/2080069445364433144?\">July 22, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Well, this led to a lot of pearl-clutching and hand-wringing in the woke WNBA sisterhood, and even got as far as pearl-wringing and hand-clutching.<\/p>\n<p>Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wnba-owner-curses-teenage-sophie-cunningham-supporters-bringing-tears\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">berated two teenage girls<\/a> who showed up to support Cunningham for her defense of women\u2019s sports, reducing them to tears. The coach of the Minnesota Lynx, Cheryl Reeve, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/watch-camera-catches-animated-meeting-sophie-cunningham-trans-activist-coach-opposing-team\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">wore a shirt<\/a> during their game against the Fever that said \u201cTrans Kids Belong,\u201d and even got ESPN to propagandize in favor of her \u201cthoughtful\u201d stance:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">DISGUSTING: Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve wears a \u201cTrans Kids Belong\u201d shirt as her team faces the Indiana Fever.<\/p>\n<p>Patriots rallied both outside and inside the arena today in support of Fever star Sophie Cunningham, who came out against men competing in women\u2019s sports. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/loVzhvQb0T\">pic.twitter.com\/loVzhvQb0T<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Fitzgerald Kennedy John Jr (@FitzgeraldJr17) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/FitzgeraldJr17\/status\/2084158955077452278?\">August 3, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Amid that backdrop, the bet makes a lot of sense. If you spew the \u201ctrans women are women\u201d nonsense, what you\u2019re saying is that boys can identify as girls and have no advantage.<\/p>\n<p>Okay, fine. Clay Travis will find you an elite boys\u2019 high school basketball team and have them play against the Aces. We\u2019ll find out whether \u201ctrans kids belong\u201d in the WNBA \u2014 much less any other level of women\u2019s sports \u2014 or whether or not this is a farce.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, the people perpetuating the farce are turning around and saying, in internet idiot lingo, \u201cNO U.\u201d You\u2019re the one making fun of women if you want to test their broken hypothesis.<\/p>\n<p>We don\u2019t really have to do this because we know how this would end. In 1998, Karsten Braasch \u2014 a marginal men\u2019s pro ranked outside the top 200 \u2014 beat both <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/video-serena-williams-gripes-decorative-cotton-plant-makes-uncomfortable-worth-350-million\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Williams sisters<\/a>, Venus and Serena, in the same afternoon. It wasn\u2019t even close, with Braasch <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/observer\/osm\/story\/0,,543962,00.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">winning<\/a> 6-1 against Serena and 6-2 against Venus without really trying. (He was known to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/espnw\/sports\/story\/_\/id\/18522715\/australian-open-look-now-serena-williams-venus-course-historic-showdown\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">smoke cigarettes<\/a> between games.)<\/p>\n<p>Considering the number of men\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/breitbart-news-daily-podcast-ep-26-u-s-to-play-genocide-games-while-biden-pushes-boycott-hoax-guest-mark-meadows-on-crazy-last-year-of-trump\/\" title=\"Breitbart News Daily Podcast Ep. 26: U.S. to Play Genocide ...s While Biden Pushes \u2018Boycott... Hoax, Guest: Mark Meadows on Crazy Last Year of Trump\">high school basketball players<\/a> that are basically ready for the NBA, this will be the easiest $10 million Clay Travis ever makes and the hardest, most expensive lesson for the woke mob he could possibly deliver.<\/p>\n<p>The only joke is treating biology as mutable. If it isn\u2019t, then put your money where your mouths are, you Jana Shortals and Cheryl Reeve\u2019s of the world. It\u2019s put-up-or-shut-up time.<\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #171717; display: flex;font-size: 16px;font-weight: 600;line-height: 1.5;margin: 24px 0;padding: 18px 20px 18px 30px;text-align: left;\">\n<div style=\"align-self: stretch;border-left: 3px solid #171717;flex-shrink: 0;padding-left: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<p><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/\">Choose The Western Journal as your preferred source on Google and never miss reporting that defends truth, protects freedom, and advances Western civilization<\/a><\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey == typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts = { \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs = [ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i = 0; i < inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! ( opts[inputs[i]] = document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"' + inputs[i] + '\"]' ).value ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .required-message' ).style.display = 'block'; \t\t\t\t\t\treturn; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction input[type=\"submit\"]' ).style.display = 'none'; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).src = firefly_loading_gif_url; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display = 'inline-block';  \t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( 'ma subbing' );  \t\t\t\t\tif( firefly_post_id ) opts['post_id'] = firefly_post_id;  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Send the data using post with element id name and name2*\/ \t\t\t\t\tvar posting = jQuery.post( firefly_ajax_url, opts );  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Alerts the results *\/ \t\t\t\t\tposting.done( function( response ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif( response.success ) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( response.data ); \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display = 'none'; \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-confirm' ).style.display = 'block';  \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdataLayer.push( { 'event': 'submit-correction' } ); \t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> \t     \t\t\t\t\t\t     \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (BA1)\")<\/script> \t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/body><\/html><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Following Sophie Cunningham\u2019s statement that women are women and men are men, Clay Travis challenged the \u201ctrans women are women\u201d advocates to prove their point by accepting his $10 million bet: if the WNBA\u2019s Las Vegas Aces beat a top boys\u2019 high school team, he\u2019ll pay up<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2640858,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Ben-Working-Feature-Image-2026-08-05T075900.592.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[7142,50410,3847],"class_list":["post-2640857","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-basketball","tag-controversy-2","tag-sports"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Ben-Working-Feature-Image-2026-08-05T075900.592.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2640857","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2640857"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2640857\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2640861,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2640857\/revisions\/2640861"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2640858"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2640857"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2640857"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2640857"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}