In a rare, unexpected twist, sex toys have become highly visible on WNBA courts. This trend has understandably led to widespread panic over what fans are doing during matchup games on campus. The culminating event just happened last Friday in Chicago. It was within the third quarter of the Golden State Warriors’ 73-66 win over the Chicago Sky. Moments after the whistle ended the game, somebody tossed a sex toy onto the floor. This incident points to a deeper, more disturbing trend for the league.
This Chicago incident comes just days after two other similar incidents. Here’s what happened Earlier this week, activists threw giant green sex toys in Phoenix and New York. All of these never actually went to court. In Los Angeles, while the Fever faced off against the Sparks, a sex toy landed near player Sophie Cunningham with just 2:05 remaining in the second quarter. Cunningham was already an outspoken advocate on social media about this abnormal, yet creative form of fandom expression.
Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum immediately booted the inflatable into the crowd. She called on adults to keep decorum on the sidelines, urging them to set good examples during points of play. All of these incidents have led to renewed conversations around safety and code of conduct for fans.
One sign of an especially disturbing trend last week that played out on the field in Atlanta. A sex toy had been flung onto the court late in the fourth quarter of the Dream’s home game against Golden State. This incident marks the first case reported under the current wave of such instances. That vision has now metastasized to cities across the country, infecting Chicago, Los Angeles, Phoenix and New York, among others.
“The safety and well-being of everyone in our arenas is a top priority for our league. Objects of any kind thrown onto the court or in the seating area can pose a safety risk for players, game officials, and fans,” – the league.
After each incident listed above the league has once again stated that they are committed to ensuring a safe environment at games. They’ve put limited programming in place to address student or patron disruptions.
“In line with WNBA Arena Security Standards, any fan who intentionally throws an object onto the court will be immediately ejected and face a minimum one-year ban in addition to being subject to arrest and prosecution by local authorities,” – the league.
The regularity of these events serve as a chilling reminder about the rising danger of fan interactions at games. With the WNBA on the cusp of a new boom, preserving that kind of environment will be more important than ever for both players and fans.