Indiana Fever GM Amber Cox believes that the attacks on her franchise’s fan base are unfair and not grounded in reality.
“The attacks on our fanbase have no basis in reality, and they need to stop,” Cox said at an end-of-season press conference on Saturday, “especially with members of the media. … I’m talking about media who have never been to a game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Every organization in the league, every organization throughout professional sports, all the way down to youth rec leagues, have to deal with occasional bad behavior from spectators. And anyone who crosses the line in an arena or online needs to be held accountable. I want to be really clear about that. There is a line, and people need to be held accountable if they cross it.
“But here’s the fact: We did not have one fan pointed out by a player who violated the WNBA code of conduct this season. Not one fan was removed from a game. … Our fans love this team. They’re going to cheer, they’re going to boo, and sometimes they might point. It’s a home-court advantage for a reason, and it’s the same for the Pacers. And all of that is within the code of conduct.”
Cox’s comments come after the Fever fell to the Aces in Game 3, ending their season. In Game 2, Aces star A’ja Wilson confronted a fan in the stands. Wilson got mad at the Fever fan for “pointing” at her. Wilson went into the stands, but was not ejected or suspended.
Jemele Hill/X
Jemele Hill, though, believes the Fever are lying.
She’s calling out the team’s GM for her press conference comments.
“No basis in reality?” she wrote.
“— During Caitlin’s rookie year, Aaliyah Boston deleted her social media account because Fever/Clark fans were blamed her for the team’s poor start.
“— Kelsey Mitchell told me during ASW that fans mocked her dead father.
“— Alyssa Thomas received a number of death threats from Fever fans.
“I understand not wanting to paint the entire fanbase with a broad brush, but to deny there isn’t a specific culture attached to that team is an insult to everyone’s intelligence.”
Hill has made it clear where she stands, while the Fever appear to be standing by their comments, too.
