Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton has been suspended for five home games and fined by the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) after cussing out two teenage fans of Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham and leaving them in tears at a game, Tuesday.
Read more GOP Senators Unveil Bill Prohibiting Biological Males From Daughters of the American Revolution
Keaton was apparently triggered by the girls’ XX-XY Athletics tee shirts, as well as their sign thanking Cunningham for “speaking up for girls.”
The incident follows Cunningham’s remarks last week, when she explained her opposition to biological men in women’s sports.
“I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I’m like, ‘I never once said that,’” Cunningham said.
“I 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’t have to go against biological men,” the Fever star stated.
Later on, when asked to comment on the issue again, she responded: “I said what I said. I think it’s kind of common sense.”
Before the game at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena Tuesday afternoon, the teens had attended a “With Love is Truth” Sophie Cunningham fan rally, sponsored by the nonpartisan group “Women Are Real.”
Keaton’s profanity-laced verbal assault began during the game, with her telling the girls that “Jesus loves everyone,” before calling the two “f-cking insane,” and telling them to stop “pulling this sh-t.”
The girls, both 16, later alleged that no one around them spoke up for them as they were being berated by the much older woman.
Brandi Kruse, a Seattle-based investigative journalist who had accompanied the girls at the game, interviewed them following the altercation.
“I will say, when I came over, you were in tears,” Kruse told one of the teens.
“Yeah, I’ve never been yelled at like that,” the girl laughingly replied. “That just took me by surprise because I thought she was going to be nice, and then she started screaming at us.”
Kruse later posted on X that she “tried to get security involved” but was told she “should email the front office.”
“What co-owner Celeste Keaton did last night is against the @WNBA fan code of conduct. Any other fan would be removed. Does she get special treatment?” the Undivided host wrote in a subsequent post.
Harry Potter author JK Rowling, who has long been a vocal critic of the “transgender” movement, praised the girls on social media as “heroines.”
Read more Trump Administration Targets School Districts Accused of Hiding Gender Transitions From Parents
“They’re peacefully protesting against the grotesque unfairness of men playing in women’s sport,” Rowling wrote on X. “The only people who are “f-cking insane” here are those making a mockery of fair sport for women and trying to bully girls like this into silence.”
Keaton wasn’t the only Seattle Storm fan who engaged in hateful, thuggish behavior in the stands, Tuesday.
Storm fans aggressively heckled and harassed the young Cunningham fans, with one yelling, “security—take the trash out!” at a teenage girl.
Two women attempted to trip a girl who was walking past them in an XX-XY Athletics shirt during the game, according to Kruse.
A Seattle Storm fan was also caught on camera spitting water in the face of a Fever fan after the Fever won the game.
Kruse commented on X that the behavior of the Seattle Storm fans, players and co-owner toward the Indiana Fever fans was “beyond disgusting.”
“They were cussed at, booed, and intentionally tripped. One of them was berated until she cried,” the journalist wrote. “As usual, the people preaching “love and inclusion” prove to be the most hateful bigots of all.”
Meanwhile, on the basketball court, Cunningham was booed every time she touched the ball.
Storm majority owner Ginny Gilder issued a public apology, Wednesday, stating the organization remains committed to “an inclusive environment.”
“We are aware one of our co-owners made comments to two fans in attendance at last night’s game,” Storm Majority Owner Ginny Gilder told Front Office Sports in a statement. “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.”
Cunningham responded on social media, praising the fans and calling Keaton’s behavior “truly embarrassing.”
“I truly believe there is a safe space and love for EVERYBODY,” she posted on X.
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.
Keaton, who joined the ownership group in 2024 alongside Sue Bird, was previously a low-profile figure in the league. The specific dollar figure of her fine was not made public.
Read more Trump Unveils $22 Billion Plan to Fix Dulles Airport’s Notorious Design Flaws
