Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton has been fined and suspended from attending the team's next five home games following an alleged verbal altercation with fans supporting WNBA player Sophie Cunningham. The WNBA confirmed the sanctions against Keaton, who is accused of calling two teenage fans "f—ing insane" during a game on Tuesday.
Independent journalist Brandi Kruse, who was present at the game and accompanied the two girls, reported the incident. The fans were attending to support Cunningham, who plays for the Indiana Fever, as the Storm faced off against the Fever.
Cunningham addressed the controversy on X, formerly Twitter, reposting a report about the incident. "I truly believe there is a safe space and love for EVERYBODY. Biological girls, biological boys, trans women, and trans men. Everyone is welcome at my table! You can disagree and still be kind. Bravo to those girls for standing up for what they believe. You’ll be hearing from me soon yay for gifts. Truly embarrassing of the co-owner. Unfortunately shows the type of leader she is," Cunningham wrote.
Storm majority owner Ginny Gilder issued a statement apologizing for the co-owner's comments. "We are aware one of our co-owners made comments to two fans in attendance at last night's game. We apologize that this happened. Everyone who attends a Storm game deserves to feel welcome, and we remain committed to creating an inclusive environment where every fan is treated with respect," Gilder stated.
The two girls were reportedly wearing XX-XY Athletics gear to show support for Cunningham's recent public stance on protecting women's sports. According to Kruse, Storm players made mocking gestures towards the girls during the game. Kruse also stated that Keaton approached the girls and used profane language.
Kruse recounted that after the alleged exchange, one of the girls was visibly upset and crying. While online rumors suggested the girls were forced to put down their signs, Kruse clarified that they chose to do so due to feeling scared and uncomfortable after the alleged harassment.
The Seattle Storm organization had stated prior to the game that they were aware of a planned demonstration and were monitoring the situation closely, emphasizing their commitment to a safe and inclusive environment. Storm head coach Sonia Raman commented after the game that the organization worked with arena security to ensure attendees felt welcome.
The Indiana Fever organization distanced itself from the rally. A team representative interrupted a postgame press conference when head coach Stephanie White was asked about the gathering, stating, "Neither our organization nor Sophie had any knowledge of this demonstration and no contact with its organizers."