A no bag policy has been implemented for tonight's WNBA game to prevent dildo’s being smuggled into the game.
Summary
• Sex toys have been thrown onto the court during multiple WNBA games, leading to arrests and investigations.
• While some incidents appear to be pranks, concerns about misogyny and targeted harassment of players are rising.
• Players and coaches have expressed anger and frustration, calling the incidents disrespectful and immature.
Nobody knows when the next sex toy might come flying onto the court.
This is the lingering problem with the who-done-it the WNBA never wanted to have to solve but must for the sake of the the players. It's a NSFW case with plenty of fallout for a league that is already dealing with CBA negotiations and possible shutdown alongside its growing popularity. What initially inspired mostly jokes and laughter has turned into claims of misogyny, conspiracy theories, multiple law enforcement investigations and, of course, sex toys being thrown onto or toward the court at as many as five WNBA games over the past 10 days.
There's intrigue and confusion about the motives and what's actually happening here. The unfortunate trend is generating a wide range of reaction from players and fans alike. Though there have already been two arrests made in the matter, it's still unclear whether this is simply a viral prank popularized by social media or a more coordinated effort meant to target the WNBA and its players.
Here's a breakdown of what to know about the WNBA's escalating sex toy problem, including some potential answers to help sift through this mystery the league and its players want to end:
Green Dildo Enthusiasts
WNBA sex toy incidents started by Crypto meme coin group, more “pranks” plannedImmature crypto bros can't understand throwing sex toys at WNBA players isn't harmless funWNBA sex toy controversy explained: Why are they being thrown on court at games?Brief history of sex toys thrown at sporting events: WNBA is not aloneSex toys are being thrown on WNBA courts. Timeline of 'ridiculous' eventsSecond person arrested after allegedly throwing sex toy during WNBA gameAnother sex toy tossed on WNBA court, lands near Fever's Sophie CunninghamFan accused of throwing sex toy on WNBA court faces multiple charges
Cryptocurrency meme coin creators say they are responsible for the sex toys being thrown at multiple WNBA games, and they are planning more "pranks."
A group of crypto enthusiasts and traders launched Green Dildo Coin (DILDO), a meme coin intended to be lighthearted and perceived as a joke, in late July to protest what they describe as a "toxic" environment in the crypto world. According to the group's spokesman, who spoke exclusively to USA TODAY Sports, many smaller players in the space are struggling to keep up with the influx of influencers and scammers.
"We didn't do this because like we dislike women's sports or, like, some of the narratives that are trending right now are ridiculous," he said. "Creating disruption at games is like, it happens in every single sport, right? We've seen it in the NFL, we've seen it in hockey, you know . . . fans doing random things to more or less create attention."
Arrests
There have been two arrests made related to these incidents, but the crypto spokesman said those people were not associated with the group. Delbert Carver, 23, was arrested after throwing an object at a July 29 WNBA game in Atlanta and charged with disorderly conduct, public indecency/indecent exposure and criminal trespass. Carver told police, "This was supposed to be a joke, and this joke (was) supposed to go viral," according to the arrest affidavit.
Kaden Lopez, the 18-year-old arrested this week after throwing a sex toy that hit a man watching the game with his 9-year-old niece in the crowd at a Phoenix Mercury game on Aug. 5, had a similar explanation. He called it a "stupid prank that was trending on social media." He bought the sex toy the day before to take it to the game, according to court documents.
As of Aug. 7, there have been reports of a sex toy thrown in as many as six games since the initial incident occurred on July 29 during the fourth quarter of the Atlanta Dream’s 77-75 home loss to the Golden State Valkyries. A fan threw a green sex toy onto the court and caused a stoppage in play. An official kicked the sex toy off the court before it was removed by a police officer.
The second incident occurred at the Valkyries' game against the Chicago Sky on Aug. 1 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. A similar sex toy was thrown near the baseline during the third quarter and forced officials to briefly stop play. There were then multiple confirmed incidents involving a similar sex toy being thrown at WNBA games on the same day including onto the cordoned off court after the game in Atlanta involving the Dream and Mystics.
A green sex toy was thrown on the court seemingly in the direction of guard Sophie Cunningham in the Indiana Fever's road game against the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday, Aug. 5. Sparks star Kelsey Plum kicked the object off the playing surface. There was another fan caught on a social media video (and subsequently arrested) for throwing a green sex toy at the Phoenix Mercury's home game against the Connecticut Sun on Aug. 5. There was also a social media video that went viral of a green sex toy that had landed in the crowd at the New York Liberty's game against the Dallas Wings on Aug. 5.
Summary
• Sex toys have been thrown onto the court during multiple WNBA games, leading to arrests and investigations.
• While some incidents appear to be pranks, concerns about misogyny and targeted harassment of players are rising.
• Players and coaches have expressed anger and frustration, calling the incidents disrespectful and immature.
Nobody knows when the next sex toy might come flying onto the court.
This is the lingering problem with the who-done-it the WNBA never wanted to have to solve but must for the sake of the the players. It's a NSFW case with plenty of fallout for a league that is already dealing with CBA negotiations and possible shutdown alongside its growing popularity. What initially inspired mostly jokes and laughter has turned into claims of misogyny, conspiracy theories, multiple law enforcement investigations and, of course, sex toys being thrown onto or toward the court at as many as five WNBA games over the past 10 days.
There's intrigue and confusion about the motives and what's actually happening here. The unfortunate trend is generating a wide range of reaction from players and fans alike. Though there have already been two arrests made in the matter, it's still unclear whether this is simply a viral prank popularized by social media or a more coordinated effort meant to target the WNBA and its players.
Here's a breakdown of what to know about the WNBA's escalating sex toy problem, including some potential answers to help sift through this mystery the league and its players want to end:
Green Dildo Enthusiasts
WNBA sex toy incidents started by Crypto meme coin group, more “pranks” plannedImmature crypto bros can't understand throwing sex toys at WNBA players isn't harmless funWNBA sex toy controversy explained: Why are they being thrown on court at games?Brief history of sex toys thrown at sporting events: WNBA is not aloneSex toys are being thrown on WNBA courts. Timeline of 'ridiculous' eventsSecond person arrested after allegedly throwing sex toy during WNBA gameAnother sex toy tossed on WNBA court, lands near Fever's Sophie CunninghamFan accused of throwing sex toy on WNBA court faces multiple charges
Cryptocurrency meme coin creators say they are responsible for the sex toys being thrown at multiple WNBA games, and they are planning more "pranks."
A group of crypto enthusiasts and traders launched Green Dildo Coin (DILDO), a meme coin intended to be lighthearted and perceived as a joke, in late July to protest what they describe as a "toxic" environment in the crypto world. According to the group's spokesman, who spoke exclusively to USA TODAY Sports, many smaller players in the space are struggling to keep up with the influx of influencers and scammers.
"We didn't do this because like we dislike women's sports or, like, some of the narratives that are trending right now are ridiculous," he said. "Creating disruption at games is like, it happens in every single sport, right? We've seen it in the NFL, we've seen it in hockey, you know . . . fans doing random things to more or less create attention."
Arrests
There have been two arrests made related to these incidents, but the crypto spokesman said those people were not associated with the group. Delbert Carver, 23, was arrested after throwing an object at a July 29 WNBA game in Atlanta and charged with disorderly conduct, public indecency/indecent exposure and criminal trespass. Carver told police, "This was supposed to be a joke, and this joke (was) supposed to go viral," according to the arrest affidavit.
Kaden Lopez, the 18-year-old arrested this week after throwing a sex toy that hit a man watching the game with his 9-year-old niece in the crowd at a Phoenix Mercury game on Aug. 5, had a similar explanation. He called it a "stupid prank that was trending on social media." He bought the sex toy the day before to take it to the game, according to court documents.
As of Aug. 7, there have been reports of a sex toy thrown in as many as six games since the initial incident occurred on July 29 during the fourth quarter of the Atlanta Dream’s 77-75 home loss to the Golden State Valkyries. A fan threw a green sex toy onto the court and caused a stoppage in play. An official kicked the sex toy off the court before it was removed by a police officer.
The second incident occurred at the Valkyries' game against the Chicago Sky on Aug. 1 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. A similar sex toy was thrown near the baseline during the third quarter and forced officials to briefly stop play. There were then multiple confirmed incidents involving a similar sex toy being thrown at WNBA games on the same day including onto the cordoned off court after the game in Atlanta involving the Dream and Mystics.
A green sex toy was thrown on the court seemingly in the direction of guard Sophie Cunningham in the Indiana Fever's road game against the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday, Aug. 5. Sparks star Kelsey Plum kicked the object off the playing surface. There was another fan caught on a social media video (and subsequently arrested) for throwing a green sex toy at the Phoenix Mercury's home game against the Connecticut Sun on Aug. 5. There was also a social media video that went viral of a green sex toy that had landed in the crowd at the New York Liberty's game against the Dallas Wings on Aug. 5.
WNBA sex toy controversy explained: Why are they being thrown on court at games?
What to know about the sex toys being thrown onto the court at WNBA games, including the latest clues into why it keeps happening.
www.usatoday.com
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