SEATTLE — The Seattle Storm's ownership group issued an apology Wednesday after minority owner Celeste Keaton reportedly confronted two teenaged fans who supported outspoken WNBA star Sophie Cunningham during an emotionally-charged loss to the Indiana Fever on Tuesday night at Climate Pledge Arena.

According to podcaster Brandi Kruse, Keaton launched an expletive-laden rant at the fans who carried a sign that read: Thank you Sophie for speaking up for girls."

“We are aware one of our co-owners made comments to two fans in attendance at last night’s game,” majority owner Ginny Gilder said in a statement released by the team. “We apologize that this happened. Everyone who attends a Storm game deserves to feel welcome, and we remain committed to creating an inclusive environment where every fan is treated with respect.”

Cunningham, 29, has become a lightning rod in the league following her recent comments about transgender athletes in women’s and girls sports.

“I want to protect young girls in a locker room,” she told ESPN last week. “Or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.”

When asked last week for clarification, Cunningham reiterated her stance.

"I said what I said. I think it's kind of common sense," she told reporters last Wednesday before the Fever’s 123-88 win against the Connecticut Sun. "And I think I'll always believe in that. I think it's really important to protect children, and that's little girls who are also involved in that category. I stand on what I said."

The Fever’s lone trip this season to Seattle drew a pregame rally that attracted dozens outside Climate Pledge Arena to support Cunningham and statewide initiatives 638 and 001 on the November ballot, which would bar transgender students from participating in girls athletics at Washington’s K-12 schools.

Heather Weiner, a spokesperson for No Hate in Washington State, also attended the rally to provide information on the initiatives.

“I was really surprised at how many people wanted to take our signs in the game and hold them,” Weiner said. “I appreciate that the Storm was open to us having those signs there.”

Before the game, Storm center Stefanie Dolson walked into the arena wearing a white shirt that read “Trans Rights Are Human Rights.”

When Cunningham, a Fever backup guard, checked in for the first time in the first quarter, she received equal amounts of cheers and jeers from the sellout crowd of 18,343.

During the game, a fan near the front row held a sign that read "NO HATE IN THE UNITED STATES," and sat near the two teenaged fans who were confronted by Keaton.

Despite media requests, Cunningham and star Caitlin Clark, who scored a team-high 32 points and led the Fever to their fourth consecutive victory, weren't made available for postgame interviews following Indiana’s 105-95 victory.

When Fever coach Stephanie White was asked about the pregame rally, a team spokesperson relayed a statement: "Neither our organization nor Sophie had any knowledge of this demonstration and no contact with its organizers. Our only goal as a team, whether at home or away, is to win basketball games and make Fever fans for life, and we are united in that mission.

Storm coach Sonia Raman was also asked about the pregame rally.

“We always want to be an area where people feel welcome coming into this building,” Raman said. “I think we've always done a really good job with that. So I know our organization was working closely with Climate Pledge and with security to just make sure that everybody feels safe and included and welcome when they walk in this door. And from what I understand, that was successful.”

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