Seattle Storm owner suspended after cursing at teens supporting Sophie Cunningham

The WNBA fined and suspended Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton for five home games, according to the league, after she allegedly cursed at two teenage fans of Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham during Tuesday’s game at Climate Pledge Arena, Fox News Digital reported.

The discipline followed allegations first detailed in an initial Fox News Digital report that Ms. Keaton confronted two 16-year-old girls who wore XX-XY Athletics shirts to support Ms. Cunningham’s recent public comments opposing transgender athletes in women’s sports, and that some Storm players made thumbs-down gestures toward them.

Independent Seattle journalist Brandi Kruse, who organized a pregame rally for Ms. Cunningham’s supporters and sat near the girls in courtside seats, told Fox News Digital that fans booed the girls when they stood for photos and that “a couple” of Storm players directed thumbs-down gestures at them. Ms. Kruse said the situation escalated at halftime, when the girls told her an older woman had approached them, yelled and called them “f—-ing insane,” leaving one of them in tears.

Ms. Kruse said the girls later identified the woman as sitting near Storm legend and co-owner Sue Bird and that arena security identified her as one of the team’s owners. Ms. Kruse later identified her as Ms. Keaton.

“They were so excited for those seats,” Ms. Kruse said, describing the girls’ reaction. Ms. Kruse said she pressed arena security to intervene, arguing the conduct violated the venue’s code of conduct but was told to contact the Storm’s front office after the game instead.

Storm majority owner Ginny Gilder apologized in a statement Wednesday, saying the team was “aware one of our co-owners made comments to two fans in attendance” and that the organization remained “committed to creating an inclusive environment where every fan is treated with respect.”

According to The Sporting News, the girls later told a podcast that Ms. Keaton also invoked religion during the confrontation, telling them, “I hope Jesus can forgive you” and that “God can save you.” Ms. Keaton, herself a Storm co-owner, is married to fellow co-owner Lisa Brummel.

Ms. Cunningham addressed the incident publicly Wednesday night, writing on X that she believes there is “a safe space and love for EVERYBODY,” while also calling Ms. Keaton’s conduct “truly embarrassing” and saying it “shows the type of leader she is.”

The confrontation unfolded against the backdrop of Washington Initiative 638, a November ballot measure that would bar students defined as biologically male from competing in certain K-12 girls’ athletic events. Storm center Stefanie Dolson wore a shirt reading “Trans rights are human rights” to the game, and Ms. Kruse said Ms. Dolson later applauded when “No Hate in Washington State” messaging, opposing the initiative, appeared on the arena video board.

The Indiana Fever distanced Ms. Cunningham and the organization from the rally, with a team representative telling reporters that “neither our organization nor Sophie had any knowledge of this demonstration and no contact with its organizers.” Ms. Cunningham scored 11 points as the Fever beat the Storm, 105-95, for their fourth straight win.