Seattle Storm majority owner Ginny Gilder issued a formal apology after minority owner Celeste Keaton allegedly directed profane comments at two teenage fans courtside during a Tuesday night game against the Indiana Fever. The supporters had attended Climate Pledge Arena to cheer for Fever guard Sophie Cunningham amid an ongoing debate over transgender athletes in women’s sports.
Courtside Confrontation and Allegations Against Celeste Keaton
Wearing XX-XY Athletics t-shirts, the girls held handmade signs that read WE LOVE YOU SOPHIE
and THANK YOU SOPHIE FOR SPEAKING UP FOR GIRLS
. Those messages were a direct nod to Cunningham’s recent high-profile remarks on protecting women’s sports.
According to independent journalist Brandi Kruse, who sat near the group, hostile reactions escalated rapidly. Fans around the arena relentlessly booed Cunningham every time she touched the ball, and several Storm players allegedly directed thumbs-down gestures straight at the teenage girls’ faces during a break in the play.
The situation turned emotional by halftime when one of the 16-year-old girls was spotted sobbing in her seat after facing harassment from nearby spectators. Independent reporting from Fox News detailed that an older woman identified as Storm minority owner Celeste Keaton approached the teens. Keaton allegedly told them that Jesus loves everyone and hopes Jesus can forgive them, before escalating to shouting expletives and calling the girls f—ing insane
.
“We are aware one of our co-owners made comments to two fans in attendance at last night’s game. 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.”
Ginny Gilder, Majority Owner of the Seattle Storm, via Front Office Sports
When Kruse attempted to alert arena security and enforce the venue’s code of conduct regarding abusive language, personnel advised her to contact the team’s front office after the game rather than ejecting the offender.
The Center of the Storm: Sophie Cunningham’s Remarks
The hostility inside Climate Pledge Arena was the direct downstream effect of a firestorm ignited weeks prior. In a profile published by ESPN’s Hallie Grossman, Cunningham addressed her stance on athletic eligibility, stating that she wanted to protect young girls in locker rooms and sports from competing against biological men.
I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I’m like, ‘I never once said that,’
Cunningham said in the ESPN profile, emphasizing her desire to extend love while simultaneously speaking honestly about competitive fairness. Her comments immediately polarized the league, drawing swift criticism from players like Brianna Turner and Stefanie Dolson, while earning praise and explosive merchandise sales elsewhere.
Arena Signage and Protests Outside Climate Pledge Arena
The demonstrators left signs supporting Washington Initiative 638—a November ballot measure seeking to restrict K-12 female athletic divisions to students designated female at birth—outside the building because political signage is barred inside.
However, once inside, attendees noticed opposing messaging displayed prominently on the venue’s video boards. Arena screens featured No Hate in Washington State
slogans opposing the ballot initiative.
Despite online rumors suggesting arena staff forced the Cunningham supporters to put away their signs, Kruse clarified that the teenage girls voluntarily lowered their placards simply because the intense hostility and the confrontation with team ownership left them feeling frightened and uncomfortable.
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