Storm Apologizes to Fans After Owner’s Verbal Abuse
The Seattle Storm has issued an apology to two teenage girls after they were verbally assaulted by the team’s co-owner, Celeste Keaton. This occurred during a game against the Indiana Fever at Climate Pledge Arena on Tuesday night. The teens were there to support Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, who recently spoke out against allowing transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports.
While holding signs that expressed gratitude to Cunningham for “Standing Up for Girls,” the situation escalated. Keaton confronted the girls, reportedly yelling at them and calling them “fucking crazy.” One of the girls recounted her experience to podcaster Brandi Kruse, saying, “I’ve never been yelled at like that. I mean, I’ve had internet trolls, but it’s different when it’s in real life. I expected her to be nice, but then she just started screaming.” This surprised her, especially given the setting.
On Wednesday, the Storm acknowledged the incident and apologized for their owner’s behavior. Majority owner Ginny Gilder stated, “We are aware that one of our co-owners made comments to two fans who attended last night’s game. We apologize that this happened. Everyone who attends a Storm game should feel welcome, and we remain committed to creating an inclusive environment where all fans are treated with respect.”
Prior to this incident, Cunningham had been featured on ESPN discussing her views on transgender athletes in sports. She addressed the backlash she received, clarifying, “I’ve gotten a lot of negative feedback about how I hate trans people, and I’m like, ‘I never said that.’ I think I’m here to spread love, but I also think that love is true and honest. And I want to protect the young girls in the locker room and the young girls in sports who don’t have to go against biological men.”
Moreover, the teenage supporters experienced additional harassment when an adult couple yelled insults and urged stadium security to send them home with their “trash.” It’s still unclear if Keaton will face any consequences from the team or the league for her actions.
