A Seattle Storm co-owner has been suspended and fined by the WNBA following an incident where she allegedly confronted and verbally berated two young women courtside during a game.
Celeste Keaton was banned from attending the team's next five home games. The confrontation occurred Tuesday night during the Storm's loss to the Indiana Fever. The two women accused Keaton of calling them "f***ing insane" and questioning their support for WNBA player Sophie Cunningham.
The incident stemmed from Cunningham's recent public statements advocating for women's sports, where she expressed that women "shouldn't have to go against biological men." Her remarks have drawn both criticism and support.
During the game, the two fans held signs expressing their support for Cunningham's views. According to reports, Keaton approached them, allegedly telling them "Jesus loves everyone" and "I hope Jesus can forgive you for what sin you've done," before calling them "f***ing insane."
The fans, who stated they were being "super respectful" and cheering for both teams, expressed shock and disappointment at being confronted by a team co-owner. They noted that their support for Cunningham was not intended to be political but rather to support the player.
Sophie Cunningham later commented on the incident via X, formerly Twitter, stating, "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."
Seattle Storm Majority Owner Ginny Gilder issued a statement acknowledging the incident and apologizing. "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," Gilder stated. "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."
Prior to the game, a rally was held outside the Climate Pledge Arena by a few dozen individuals supporting Cunningham and promoting statewide initiatives that would affect transgender students' participation in school athletics. The Fever's public relations representative stated that neither the team nor Cunningham had any prior knowledge of the demonstration and no contact with its organizers.