Storm co-owner suspended after confronting teen fans

A WNBA game between the Indiana Fever and Seattle Storm on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, was overshadowed by a postgame controversy involving a team co-owner and fans, reigniting a broader debate about transgender athletes in women's sports. The Fever secured a 104-96 road victory at Seattle's Climate Pledge Arena, but the focus quickly shifted to an incident involving Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton and two teenage Fever fans.

The fans, wearing shirts from the apparel brand XXXY Athletics, were holding signs thanking Fever guard Sophie Cunningham for speaking out about women's sports. According to multiple reports, Keaton confronted the fans, with witnesses alleging she used profanity and asked, "How dare you come here and pull this?!" The encounter reportedly left at least one of the teenagers in tears. Video from the event later circulated showing a heated confrontation involving the fans and other attendees, prompting criticism of arena security for a perceived slow response.

The Seattle Storm organization issued a statement attributed to majority owner Ginny Gilder apologizing for the incident, stating that everyone who attends a game deserves to feel welcome and that the...