WNBA announcers blast ‘inappropriate’ fans for cheering injured player

Unruly fans have become a growing problem at sporting events in recent years, and they were on full display during a WNBA game Tuesday night.

Three fans were ejected in Minneapolis during the Minnesota Lynx’s 91-86 victory over the Dallas Wings on Tuesday for cheering an injury. With less than 30 seconds to go in the fourth quarter, Dallas All-Star forward Satou Sabally attempted a three-pointer and fell to the floor in pain after landing on the foot of Minnesota’s Bridget Carleton.

While Sabally was on the ground being tended to by a trainer, several Lynx fans were yelling at her, drawing the ire of the announcers, players, coaches, and security.

Here’s the two principle incidents where fans were ejected behind the Lynx bench pic.twitter.com/sNENN8NOlB

— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) August 23, 2023

“There is a fan sitting in the second row, and she is a Lynx fan, and she has been completely inappropriate tonight,” Lynx play-by-play voice Marney Gellner said on the Bally Sports North broadcast. “And she is yelling at a player that is hurt on the court…she’s been at it for most of the second half tonight, and I honestly hope they are asking her to leave because it has not been a good representation of Minnesota Lynx basketball at all.”

Gellner noted that Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale and Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve engaged with the fan, asking her to stop. After the game, Carleton, who was ejected for committing her second flagrant foul, said she heard Lynx fans cheering Sabally’s injury.

“Here goes the fan, escorted out, and I think that’s the right move. It’s not a good representation of what the Lynx are about. I don’t know what she said to me,” Gellner noted with a chuckle as the fan walked by. “But she just gave me some words on the way out as well. That’s a nice exit.”

After getting up and limping around the court, Sabally stepped to the free throw line, knocked down two shot attempts, and promptly blew a kiss to the Minnesota crowd. Officials then pointed out two additional fans for security to deal with. Surprisingly, the Bally Sports North broadcast put one of them on camera as he stormed off the court.

Minnesota won the game 91-86, but Sabally won the night by knocking down two free throws and blowing a kiss to the crowd before making her third shot attempt. According to Dallas coach Latricia Trammell, the first ejected fan yelled “I’m glad you’re hurt” at Sabally while the All-Star forward was on the floor in pain, which is a gross comment for anyone to make.

[Bally Sports North, via @cjzero]