WNBA basketball group Seattle Storm apologize after co-owner berates ladies with ‘thanks’ signal for Sophie Cunningham.
Revealed On 30 Jul 2026
The Seattle Storm has issued an apology assertion, someday after one in every of their co-owners verbally accosted two teenage feminine followers with expletives as a result of they have been holding indicators supporting the views of Indiana’s Sophie Cunningham throughout a house sport towards the Fever.
The youngsters every had an indication, one saying “Thank You Sophie for talking up for ladies!” Cunningham lately went to bat for the safety of girls’s sports activities and retaining them feminine solely.
Really helpful Tales
checklist of 4 objectsfinish of checklist
Impartial journalist Brandi Kruse reported that minority proprietor Celeste Keaton instructed the women they have been “f—ing insane”.
“We’re conscious one in every of our co-owners made feedback to 2 followers in attendance ultimately evening’s sport,” Storm majority proprietor Ginny Gilder mentioned in an announcement on Wednesday.
“We apologize that this occurred. Everybody who attends a Storm sport deserves to really feel welcome, and we stay dedicated to creating an inclusive setting the place each fan is handled with respect.”
Kruse instructed Fox Information that the scene included Seattle gamers making thumbs-down gestures to the women. Some followers additionally made their opinions recognized.
“A few of the followers have been relentlessly booing at them,” Kruse instructed Fox Information. “And I type of rotated and mentioned, ‘Look, they’re simply teenage ladies.’”
Final yr, a New York Occasions ballot advised that 79% of Individuals don’t need males taking part in in ladies’s sports activities.
The difficulty was lately within the information when the Supreme Court docket issued a ruling in June that states can ban transgender athletes from taking part in ladies’s and ladies’ sports activities.
Throughout a current interview with ESPN, Cunningham weighed in about ladies’s sports activities, emphasising ladies ought to by no means need to compete with organic males.
“I received a variety of detrimental suggestions about me hating trans,” Cunningham instructed ESPN. “And I’m like, ‘I by no means as soon as mentioned that.’
“I believe that I’m right here to increase love. However I additionally suppose with that love is reality, being sincere. And I need to defend younger ladies in a locker room, or younger ladies in sport who shouldn’t need to go towards organic males.”
Cunningham acquired a mixture of cheers and jeers throughout Wednesday’s sport, which was received 105-95 by the Fever. There was a rally exterior the world earlier than the sport, the place proponents of girls’s sports activities had indicators thanking Cunningham for talking up for women and girls. Professional-transgender activists have been additionally on the scene.
The Fever didn’t permit Cunningham to face questions after the sport. She made three 3-pointers and scored 11 factors.
The Storm (6-24) misplaced their seventh straight sport and personal the worst report within the league.
