The WNBA is putting a stop once and for all to the mean green.
In a statement on Saturday, the WNBA has announced that the fan who threw a sex toy onto the court during last Tuesday’s game between the Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream had been arrested. The statement added that any fan throwing an object onto the court would be subject to a one-year ban from WNBA games (in addition to any criminal penalties).
“The safety and well-being of everyone in our arenas is a top priority for our league,” the WNBA statement read, per ESPN. “Objects of any kind thrown onto the court or in the seating area can pose a safety risk for players, game officials, and fans. 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 incident occurred in the fourth quarter of the Valkyries-Dream game at Gateway Center in College Park, Ga. During a key moment in the final minute of the game, a fan chucked a neon-green dildo onto the court and briefly caused a stoppage (video here).
Another similar incident also occurred during the Valkyries’ game against the Chicago Sky on Friday at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Ill. During the third quarter of that game, play was also stopped to deal with a virtually identical neon-green dildo that was tossed onto the court (leading to jokes from WNBA players including Angel Reese). It is unclear though if the fan who threw the dildo during that game was also arrested.
While the memes that resulted from the pair of sex-toy incidents were certainly memorable, it is indeed in the best interest of the WNBA to crack down on the practice for the safety of all those attending and participating in their games. Earlier in the weekend, Fever guard Sophie Cunningham also called for an end to the dildo-throwing in a post to social media.
