WNBA says individual that threw sex toy on court at Dream game has been arrested
The incident happened in the final minute of Tuesday's contest as the Dream and Valkyries were tied at 75. The lime green object was thrown from the stands onto the court and landed near the top of the free throw line shortly after Atlanta's Maya Caldwell blocked a 3-point attempt from Golden State's Tiffany Hayes. Officials did not stop play as the object bounced toward the sidelines. A police officer later picked the item up using a towel.
Days later, another sex toy was thrown onto the court during the Golden State's 73-66 victory over the Chicago Sky at Wintrust Arena in Chicago on Friday. The incident happened with 7:42 remaining in the third quarter as the Sky led 39-37. Officials immediately halted play after a green object landed out of bounds under the basket.
"The subject involved in the incident in Atlanta on Tuesday has been arrested," the WNBA said in a statement to USA TODAY on Saturday.
A number of WNBA players have spoken out against the string of incidents. Sky center Elizabeth Williams said it's "super disrespectful," while Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham said flying objects could "hurt one of us."
"I don't really get the point of it. It's really immature. Whoever is doing it needs to grow up," Williams said following Friday's game. New York Liberty forward Isabelle Harrison added, "ARENA SECURITY?! Hello??! Please do better. It's not funny. never was funny. Throwing ANYTHING on the court is so dangerous."
The WNBA said any spectator caught throwing anything on the court will be "immediately ejected and face a minimum one-year ban," in addition to facing charges.
"The safety and well-being of everyone in our arenas is a top priority for our league," the WNBA said. "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 USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
35 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Celtics minority owner clears the air regarding possible acquisition of the Connecticut Sun
Despite the recent news that Celtics minority owner Stephen Pagliuca has reached a deal to buy the Connecticut Sun and move them to Boston, it's not certain. Pagliuca released a statement on X, confirming that PagsGroup offered to acquire the Connecticut Sun, along with support from Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey and Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee. The Mohegan Tribe currently owns the Connecticut Sun and has been praised for its stewardship over the past two decades, building a strong presence for the team in New England. 'As avid basketball fans and proven sports team operators, we admire the Mohegan Tribe for their great stewardship of the Connecticut Sun,' Pagliuca said. 'Over the past two decades, the Mohegan Tribe has invested substantial time and resources into the Sun and has built a strong New England presence for the WNBA.' 'Our offer is subject to obtaining the required league approvals, as is the case for all such transactions.' No transaction has been agreed upon yet, and the acquisition is subject to league approvals, which have not been obtained thus far. 'We will respect, cooperate with, and abide by all league rules and decisions on these matters.' This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
How to watch Man United vs. Everton in Premier League Summer Series
New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. Featured pricing is subject to change. The Premier League Summer Series is coming to an end with one final match between Manchester United and Everton. Man United is undefeated through the first two matches, and has a good chance at taking home the Summer Series trophy. To slip out of the top spot, they'll have to lose to Everton (who haven't notched a win yet) in blowout fashion after the earlier Bournemouth-West Ham match ends in a one-sided victory. In simpler terms, if Man United wins this game, it's likely they'll win the title, too. Man United vs. Bournemouth: what to know When: Aug, 3, 5 p.m. ET Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, Georgia) Channel: Not on TV Streaming: Peacock Here's everything you need to know to tune in to tonight's Summer Series finale. What time is the Manchester United vs. Everton match? The Man United vs. Everton Summer Series match begins at 9:30 p.m. ET today, July 30. How to watch Man Utd. vs. Everton live In the United States, the Man United vs. Everton match is exclusive to NBC's Peacock streaming service. Peacock currently offers two subscription types with live sports: Premium with ads and Premium Plus ad-free. Peacock Premium costs $10.99/month, while Premium Plus costs $16.99/month. PEACOCK You can save a bit by subscribing to one of Peacock's annual plans, which give you 12 months for the price of 10. These cost either $109.99 with ads or $169.99 without ads. 2025 Premier League Summer Series schedule Sunday, August 3 – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta Bournemouth vs. West Ham, 2 p.m. ET Manchester United vs. Everton, 5 p.m. ETThis article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and New York Post's streaming property, Decider. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she's also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Steve Pagliuca confirms interest in purchasing Connecticut Sun, but says no deal in place
Steve Pagliuca, a prospective buyer of the Connecticut Sun, confirmed his group's interest in purchasing the franchise, but said that no transaction has been agreed upon yet in a statement released Sunday evening. Pagliuca said that their offer is subject to obtaining the required league approvals. While that is the case with all league transactions, it could be especially important in this case, as Pagliuca's group is reportedly intending to relocate the franchise out of Uncasville, Conn., the current home of the Sun, and to Boston. In his statement, Pagliuca did not confirm that Boston would be the future site of the franchise, but he did say that their offer would 'keep New England's WNBA team in New England.' He also said PagsGroups' bid has support from both Massachusetts governor Maura Healy and Rhode Island governor Daniel McKee. 'Central to our proposal is enabling the Sun to play in larger capacity arenas in New England,' Pagliuca said in a statement. 'We believe our record-setting offer and deep commitment to growing the WNBA in the region that is home to the most passionate basketball fans in the nation will significantly benefit the league, the team, and all its fans.' The Sun played in Boston's TD Garden, which has a capacity of 19,156, in each of the past two seasons, with both regular-season games being sellouts. Earlier Sunday, Connecticut Sun president Jennifer Rizzotti said that a sale by the Mohegan Tribe is 'not quite at the finish line yet,' but that the Tribe had explored different investment options this summer. 'If Boston was an option, it's hard to argue that they're not a city that's viable for a WNBA franchise,' said Rizzotti, who confirmed that the Sun will play in Connecticut for the 2026 season. Pagliuca, a minority owner of the NBA's Boston Celtics, is reportedly trying to buy the Sun for $325 million — a would-be record sale for a professional women's sports franchise — and plans to contribute $100 million for a practice facility. The WNBA said in a statement on Saturday that relocation decisions are 'made by the WNBA Board of Governors and not by individual teams.' They added that while no groups from Boston bid for a franchise ahead of the league's Jan. 31 deadline, that the Celtics' incoming prospective ownership group — which does not include Pagliuca — has also reached out to the WNBA. '(They) asked that Boston receive strong consideration for a WNBA franchise at the appropriate time,' the statement read. Pagliuca, 70, is a longtime minority owner of the Celtics, having partnered with owner Wyc Grousbeck's family in 2002. He was one of the finalists for the team's majority sale, but in March, the Celtics were sold to Bill Chisholm, the managing partner of Symphony Technology Group, for what, at the time, was an NBA-record $6.1 billion. When news was made public that Pagliuca did not have the winning Celtics bid, he said in a lengthy statement that he was 'saddened' to find out that he was not selected to steward the NBA franchise in the future. Now, it appears his focus is on the WNBA. 'This approval has not been obtained thus far, and we cannot proceed without it. We will respect, cooperate with, and abide by all league rules and decisions on these matters,' Pagliuca said. 'As passionate basketball fans and strong believers in women's professional sports, we remain excited by this opportunity and would be honored to serve as the next stewards of this franchise, if the transaction can be approved.' The potential $325 million price tag would be significant for the Mohegan Tribe. Expansion groups in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia all paid a reported $250 million in expansion fees to join the league in 2028, 2029, and 2030. The Sun moved to Connecticut from Orlando ahead of the 2003 season after the Tribe purchased the team for $10 million. They were the WNBA's first independently-owned franchise as well as the first Native American Tribe to own a professional American sports team. Connecticut has made the playoffs in eight straight seasons and at least the semifinals in the last six years, though both streaks appear to be in serious jeopardy considering the Sun currently have the league's worst record. 'I know there's still uncertainty about the future,' Rizzotti said, 'but our loyal fans, they're excited to be able to watch this team grow and get into Year Two of this retooling of the roster and see where we can go. And if it ends up being our last year here, we're going to make sure we blow it out.' This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Connecticut Sun, WNBA 2025 The Athletic Media Company
