WNBA Dildo Throwing Controversy Began as Crypto Marketing Stunt

A pseudonymous group behind a meme coin called Green Dildo Coin has claimed responsibility for a string of disruptive incidents at WNBA games, where sex toys have been thrown onto the court.

The campaign, which began at the end of July, appears to be a coordinated effort to boost the visibility and trading volume of the $DILDO token, a meme coin launched alongside an NFT collection in late July.

Since its debut, the group has focused on shock value and provocation to market the token.

The first incident occurred on July 29, during a game between the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries, when a bright green dildo bearing the project’s hashtag was thrown onto the court. Several similar disruptions followed and two arrests have been made.

Georgia resident Delbert Carver, 23, was arrested on August 1 for throwing a sex toy onto the court at a match between Atlanta Dream and Phoenix Mercury. He has also claimed responsibility for the July 29 incident.

In Phoenix, police this week also arrested 18-year-old Kaden Lopez after he allegedly threw a green sex toy into the crowd, hitting a man attending the game with his nine-year-old niece.

Los Angeles Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said at a press conference that the incidents were “ridiculous.”

“It’s also dangerous,” she added. “Player safety is number one, respecting the game, all those things.”

The meme coin group has been gloating online about the attention their marketing gimmicks have been receiving, encouraging each other to share and repost any mention of their stunts in the hopes of getting more people to buy their token.

That said, their X account has less than 900 followers and their Telegram group just over 1,000.

During a seven-hour livestream on X Spaces during Tuesday’s games, members of the Green Dildo Coin community mocked the WNBA, referring to players as “a bunch of sweaty lesbians” and joking that it would be funny if a toy hit someone.

The majority of the group seem to be American, though others had British and Australian accents.

“People are going to be going nuts about this,” said the host of one X Spaces chat. “We need the degens to know it was us.”

The host also claimed the group had paid individuals to throw the dildos for an unspecified amount, including offering an extra $500 if it “stuck upwards” on landing. (It did not.)

They discussed how the incidents had made them “very happy” and that “this is what crypto should be about,” while congratulating themselves for bringing attention to women’s sports.

It is not clear which incidents were formally organized by the group and which are the result of other people jumping on the bandwagon.

Donald Trump Jr. has also posted a meme featuring his father about the incidents on Instagram.

In their Telegram group, members have also brainstormed ideas for future attacks. Proposed targets include the Boston Marathon, a Lady Gaga concert and Wimbledon.

According to CoinGecko, the token’s 24-hour trading volume is $1.23 million, up 28.5% from the previous day. The coin has gained 193.7% in the past week and is currently priced at $0.0009073.

Green Dildo Coin did not respond to a request for an interview via X.

The WNBA did not immediately respond to a request for comment but has warned that throwing items onto the court 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,” it said in a statement.