Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton has been suspended for five home games and fined by the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) following an incident at a Tuesday game where she reportedly cursed out two teenage fans of Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham, leaving them in tears.
The altercation occurred at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena after the girls attended a “With Love is Truth” fan rally sponsored by the nonpartisan group “Women Are Real.” Keaton became agitated upon seeing their XX-XY Athletics shirts and sign thanking Cunningham for “speaking up for girls,” prompting her to deliver profanity-laced remarks during the game.
According to Brandi Kruse, a Seattle-based investigative journalist who accompanied the teens, Keaton began by telling them, “Jesus loves everyone,” before calling the two “f-cking insane” and instructing them to stop “pulling this sh-t.” Both girls, aged 16, reported being left in tears with no one intervening.
The incident follows Cunningham’s recent public comments opposing biological men in women’s sports. Cunningham stated: “I think 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.”
Kruse documented additional hostile behavior by Seattle Storm fans during the game, including two women attempting to trip a teenage fan wearing an XX-XY Athletics shirt and another fan spitting water on an Indiana Fever supporter after the game. Storm majority owner Ginny Gilder issued a public apology Wednesday, stating: “We apologize that this happened. Everyone who attends a Storm game deserves to feel welcome.”
Cunningham praised the teens online for their courage, calling Keaton’s actions “truly embarrassing” while emphasizing her commitment to inclusivity.
