WNBA Suspends Seattle Co-Owner Over Profane Tirade Against Teen Fans Supporting Cunningham

The WNBA has suspended Seattle Storm minority owner Celeste Keaton for five home games and fined her an undisclosed amount after ruling she violated league standards by confronting two teenage Indiana Fever fans during Tuesday’s game at Seattle.The action was taken against Ms. Keaton for her reaction to two 16-year-old girls showing their support of Sophie Cunningham’s public stance against transgender athletes competing in women’s sports.The two girls were sitting courtside holding signs that read: “We love you Sophie” and “Thank you Sophie for speaking up for girls.” Both were wearing XX-XY t-shirts, a clothing brand that advocates for the exclusion of transgender athletes in women’s sports.Ms. Keaton reportedly approached, and according to one of the girls said, “I hope Jesus forgives you for what sins you’ve done. Then she told us we were ‘f’ing insane.” The girls said that Ms. Keaton then pointed to her own head and said, “You’d better stop pulling this sh—t.” One of the girls burst into tears. Ms. Keaton is the wife of Storm co-owner Lisa Brummel and, as a result, is a co-owner herself, making her subject to discipline by the WNBA.Ms. Cunningham issued a statement on social media, supporting the girls. “I truly believe there is a safe space and love for EVERYBODY,” she wrote. “Biological girls, biological boys, trans women and trans men. Everyone is welcome at my table! You can disagree and still be kind. Bravo to the girls for standing up for what they believe. You’ll be hearing from me soon.”Then she added, “Truly embarrassing of the co-owner. Unfortunately shows the type of leader she is.”Storm majority owner Ginny Gilder issued an apology on behalf of the franchise, saying, “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.”Ms. Cunningham recently ignited a firestorm in the debate over transgender athletes in women’s sports by declaring in a recent ESPN profile that she wants “to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.”Prior to Tuesday night’s game, a “With Love is Truth” rally was held outside Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena where a few dozen people gathered to support Ms. Cunningham and promote statewide initiatives which would bar transgender students from participating in girls’ athletics at Washington schools.Meanwhile, Seattle Storm star Stefanie Dolson arrived for the game wearing a T-shirt that read: “Trans rights are human rights.”The focus on Ms. Cunningham has taken the spotlight from another embarrassing revelation in the WNBA. The league quietly deleted a video its social media team posted showing Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese of the Atlanta Dream making a $400 wager at the All-Star break on an upcoming regular season game between the two teams. “If y’all win you get your $400,” Ms. Reese said on the now-deleted but eternally documented video.According to the collective bargaining agreement, “Any player found guilty of wagering money or anything of value on the outcome, score, or aspect of a WNBA competition is subject to fines, suspensions, or outright disqualification.”The players reportedly won’t be punished for the bet. “While the social media post was intended to be lighthearted, WNBA players are well aware of the league’s policies prohibiting betting on WNBA games and receive training every year reinforcing those policies,” a league spokesperson said Thursday. “We recognized that the post missed the mark, removed it shortly after it was published, and addressed the matter internally.“We will also use this as an opportunity to reemphasize with the players involved that conversations about wagering on WNBA games, even when intended as a joke, can have negative consequences.”

WNBA Suspends Seattle Co-Owner Over Profane Tirade Against Teen Fans Supporting Cunningham

WNBA Suspends Seattle Co-Owner Over Profane Tirade Against Teen Fans Supporting Cunningham

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