Seattle Storm minority owner Celeste Keaton suspended for five home games following confrontation with Sophie Cunningham fans

Seattle Storm minority owner Celeste Keaton has been fined an undisclosed amount and barred from attending the team’s next five home games after a courtside confrontation with two teenage spectators who displayed signs supporting Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, the WNBA announced on Thursday. The discipline stems from an incident that occurred Tuesday night at Climate Pledge Arena, when the Storm hosted the Fever. According to multiple reports, Keaton approached the youths, who were holding messages such as “Thank you, Sophie, for speaking up for girls,” and allegedly told them they were “f—— insane” and demanded, “How situation you travel present and propulsion this s——t?” Following the exchange, Storm majority owner Ginny Gilder issued a statement on behalf of the franchise: “We are alert 1 of our co-owners made comments to 2 fans successful attendance astatine past night’s game,” Gilder stated. “We apologize that this happened. Everyone who attends a Storm crippled deserves to consciousness welcome, and we stay committed to creating an inclusive situation wherever each instrumentality is treated with respect.” The organization added that it respects the league’s decision to sanction Keaton. Sophie Cunningham responded on social media, defending the fans and criticizing Keaton’s conduct. She posted on X: “I genuinely judge determination is simply a harmless abstraction and emotion for EVERYBODY.” Cunningham continued, “Biological girls, biologic boys, trans women, and trans men. Everyone is invited astatine my table! You tin disagree and inactive beryllium kind.” She added, “Bravo to those girls for lasting up for what they believe. You’ll beryllium proceeding from maine soon,” describing the executive’s behavior as “truly embarrassing” and writing that it “unfortunately shows the benignant of person she is.” Keaton, who joined the Storm’s ownership group in 2024, will miss all five of Seattle’s home contests scheduled throughout August. She will become eligible to return to courtside attendance at Climate Pledge Arena on September 17, when the Storm host the Las Vegas Aces.