Fever WNBA shirt clash: league still won't name official
The WNBA will not name the person who ordered fans at Sunday's Indiana Fever game in Atlanta to cover shirts about transgender athletes. The Atlanta Dream blamed league security, and the league said the Fever WNBA incident "should not have happened." At least three spectators were stopped, including a mother and daughter. Fox News Digital asked the league who made the call and received no response, according to OutKick.
Key Takeaways
- League security asked at least three fans at the Fever-Dream game to cover shirts about transgender athletes.
- The WNBA said that "should not have happened" and told security they acted incorrectly.
- The Atlanta Dream said its staff were not involved and blamed WNBA security.
- Fox News Digital asked who was responsible; the league has not named anyone.
What happened at the Fever-Dream game?
The incident took place Sunday, Aug. 16, when the Indiana Fever played the Atlanta Dream at State Farm Arena. The game was moved from Gateway Center Arena to the larger Hawks venue to handle the expected crowd for Caitlin Clark and the Fever.
Fox News Digital reported that at least three fans were told to cover their shirts. Two were Georgia residents Kasey Thomason and her 17-year-old daughter, Annie, sitting three rows back in XX-XY Athletics shirts, a brand that advocates protecting women's sports from biological males. A third fan in a pro-transgender shirt was also asked to cover up.
The Thomasons told Fox News Digital the person who confronted them did not look like a typical arena guard and wore a tan suit. The Athletic reported that the WNBA provides security for all league games.
Why won't the WNBA name the official involved?
On Monday, the Dream blamed the league. "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 said.
The WNBA said it was aware of the interactions and that they "should not have happened." The Athletic reported that security officials have been informed they acted incorrectly.
Fox News Digital asked who was responsible and said it received no response. The league still has not identified the person in the tan suit.
Did the league apply a double standard to fan shirts?
Both outlets said a fan in a pro-transgender shirt was also asked to cover up. The Athletic reported the video board still showed a woman in a "Protect Trans Kids" T-shirt during a "Jam Cam" between the first and second quarters. Another spectator in a "Trans kids belong in sports" shirt appeared on the broadcast at the end of regulation and in overtime.
Yahoo News featured XX-XY Athletics CEO Jennifer Sey reacting to the WNBA's apology and alleging a double standard compared with other apparel welcomed by the league. Reputational fights like this also surface in our Fintech & Crypto Alerts coverage.
How does this Fever WNBA clash fit a wider debate?
The Athletic said the issue has been in WNBA discourse since Fever forward Sophie Cunningham called it "common sense" in a July ESPN profile to bar transgender athletes from women's sports. Demonstrations followed in Seattle, Portland, and Minneapolis. Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve wore a "Protect Trans Kids" shirt when Indiana played Minnesota two weeks ago.
On Aug. 7, the players union denounced "hate, abuse, and demonization" of the transgender community, and commissioner Cathy Engelbert sent a memo stressing integrity and respect. League leadership later condemned "bad-faith efforts" to use the WNBA as a prop on the issue. The Athletic reported the league currently has no transgender players and no imminent eligibility concerns. It has still not named who ordered the Fever WNBA fans to cover their shirts.