Sunday's WNBA game between the Indiana Fever and the Atlanta Dream was marred somewhat by Dream fans being told to cover up shirts supporting Fever star Sophie Cunningham.
According to reports, league security demanded that a mother and her teenage daughter cover up their shirts from XX-XY Athletics during the game.
But on Monday, the WNBA admitted that it never should have happened.
"The WNBA is aware of interactions at last night's game in Atlanta in which fans were asked by league security to cover their shirts," the league said in a statement. "This should not have happened."
The Atlanta Dream released a statement on Monday distancing themselves from the incident and declaring that the security members who took those actions were league security and not their own security.
"The Atlanta Dream believes in creating a safe and inclusive environment for everyone. Unfortunately, at last night’s game, WNBA security took actions that fell short of that standard. At no point was Dream personnel involved in the decisions made by WNBA security," the team's PR department said.
The Controversy
This isn't the first time that members of the league have clashed with fans over similar issues.
A controversy erupted during the Seattle Storm's July 28 game against the Indiana Fever after two fans alleged they were confronted by Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton over their signs supporting Fever guard Sophie Cunningham. According to the fans, Keaton approached them in the stands, criticized their display, and called them "(expletive) insane" during a heated exchange.
The incident came amid heightened tensions surrounding Cunningham after her public comments opposing transgender women competing in women's sports, which had already sparked protests and visible demonstrations around the country both supporting and criticizing her position.
The confrontation quickly spread across social media, fueling another round of debate about fan expression, free speech, and the increasingly polarized atmosphere surrounding the WNBA. Supporters of the fans argued that team ownership should not confront spectators over signs expressing support for a player, while others contended that arena officials and ownership have a responsibility to maintain a safe and inclusive environment when political controversies spill into sporting events.
