{"id":182822,"date":"2025-08-28T17:55:14","date_gmt":"2025-08-28T17:55:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/182822\/"},"modified":"2025-08-28T17:55:14","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T17:55:14","slug":"seattle-storm-host-kayce-kirihara-turns-viral-stunt-into-empowering-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/182822\/","title":{"rendered":"Seattle Storm Host Kayce Kirihara Turns Viral Stunt Into Empowering Win"},"content":{"rendered":"

Following the recent viral crypto stunt at WNBA<\/strong><\/a> games (think green projectiles), Seattle Storm<\/strong><\/a> in-arena host Kayce Kirihara is helping to shift the spotlight back where it belongs – on women in sports.\u00a0<\/p>\n

With her partnership with plusOne, Kirihara transformed a disruptive moment into an empowering one, and this has shifted the conversation to celebrating female athletes and their voices.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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From Disruption To Empowerment: Kayce Kirihara Is Reclaiming The Narrative\"KayceContributed Photo<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce again, men found the wrong spot.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

After someone tossed a green sex toy onto the court during a WNBA game, it appeared to be a one and done stunt\u2026until the next time it happened. It happened multiple times but didn\u2019t go without consequences. Multiple men were arrested for the potentially dangerous stunt. But it\u2019s not ending there. An \u201copportunity to flip the script\u201d is giving the control back to where it belongs.<\/p>\n

\u201cSports have always been a stage for energy and emotion, but too often, women\u2019s sports are met with bias and disruption. We saw this an opportunity to flip the script,\u201d Kirihara told The Blast exclusively.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\u201cWhile these moments were intended to be misogynistic, demeaning, and disrespectful\u2014we stand with the WNBA in reclaiming the narrative and turning it into a statement of empowerment. Instead of letting it be a distraction, we turned it into a celebration\u2014of the athletes, the fans, and the incredible momentum behind women\u2019s sports.\u201d<\/p>\n

She explained that plusOne\u2019s belief in \u201cpleasure, confidence, and ownership\u201d gives that energy back to the players and the fans.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Kayce Kirihara’s Social Media Post Grabbed Tons Of Positive Attention<\/p>\n

Kirihara\u2019s Instagram<\/a> post captured tons of attention, including Seattle Storm guard, Lexie Brown.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know that stunt that happened at the women\u2019s basketball games a few weeks ago? With the bright green\u2026things? Once again, men found the wrong spot. But WE\u2019RE bringing the vibes (literally) \u2014 controlling the narrative & turning the spotlight back on women, where it belongs: power & confidence,\u201d she captioned her powerful video.<\/p>\n

Many viewers dropped into the comments to share their thoughts. Many seemed to like the tagline, \u201cOnce again, men found the wrong spot,\u201d and repeated that, and others left comments such as, \u201cThis is the best thing I\u2019ve seen all year,\u201d “OMG you are an icon,\u201d and \u201cTaking back the narrative – love this.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Brown took to the comments to show her support by simply writing, \u201cKayce LMAOOOO.\u201d\u00a0 Kirihara said her support was \u201cpowerful.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen athletes themselves echo your message, it validates the intention behind it. Lexie and others stepping in showed that women athletes aren\u2019t just part of the conversation – they\u2019re leading it,\u201d Kirihara said. \u201cThat\u2019s exactly the kind of amplification we wanted: authentic voices owning this moment.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

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What ‘Taking Back The Narrative’ Means In Today’s Sports Culture\"KayceContributed Photo<\/p>\n

When talking about taking the narrative back, Kirihara said \u201cit\u2019s about control and visibility.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cFor so long, women athletes were told how to show up – what to wear, how to speak, how to behave,\u201d she explained. \u201c\u2018Taking back the narrative\u2019 means they\u2019re now the authors of their own storylines, using their platforms to share conversations about equality, representation, and identity. That\u2019s cultural change in real time.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Furthermore, Kirihara said this moment is part of a larger cultural shift in how women athletes use their platforms to drive dialogue off the court.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re seeing athletes become full-scale brands and advocates, not just players,\u201d Kirihara told The Blast. \u201cThey\u2019re talking about mental health, equality, pay, politics, and culture – and fans are responding. This moment fits into that broader shift, where athletes are more than competitors; they\u2019re catalysts for change.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Balancing Humor With Empowerment Is What The Host Said ‘Creates Something Relatable And Shareable’\"plusOne\"Contributed photo by plusOne<\/p>\n

The campaign with plusOne mixes humor with empowerment, and that balance really calls out to both athletes and fans.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cHumor disarms people; it opens the door. Empowerment drives the point home,\u201d she explained. \u201cWhen you mix those two – especially in a space where women\u2019s sports are often under a microscope – it creates something relatable and shareable. It says, \u2018We can laugh, but we\u2019re also here to make a point.\u2019 And fans love that mix.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

And the tagline, \u201cOnce again, men found the wrong spot,\u201d really pulled women in with relatable humor that\u2019s \u201ccheeky\u201d and \u201cmemorable.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt speaks to something bigger: women owning their pleasure and their platforms. By leaning into humor, we\u2019re not shying away from the conversation – we\u2019re making it approachable and impossible to ignore,\u201d she shared. \u201cIt\u2019s helping normalize dialogue around women\u2019s wellness in spaces where it\u2019s often overlooked.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Kayce Kirihara Shared Her Journey To Being The Seattle Storm Host\"KayceContributed Photo<\/p>\n

Kirihara started out as a ball girl for the Seattle Storm and moved into the role as equipment manager and video coordinator once she graduated from college. She learned the game inside and out and found her voice connecting with fans.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is actually my first year as the official in-arena host, but I did two unofficially last season,\u201d she told The Blast. \u201cMy start came from a love of both storytelling and live sports energy. It\u2019s been a journey of passion meeting opportunity.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0She said the best part of being a WNBA host is the people, athletes, fans, and of course, the energy. She finds a \u201creal sense of pride and purpose in women\u2019s sports that\u2019s contagious.\u201d As one might assume, there have been a lot of memorable moments during her time as the host of the Storm, but there are some that really stand out for her.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are so many, but one that stands out is having young girls and boys come up to me and seeing their excitement being at the game and wanting to share that with me. I have fans that come say hi to me every game, like a tradition, it\u2019s something that I truly look forward to every single time,\u201d she shared. \u201cThose moments remind me that this role is about more than announcing; it\u2019s about building community and energy.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Advice For Other Women\"KayceContributed Photo<\/p>\n

Her advice for the other women in sports and entertainment who want to own their narrative in unexpected situations?\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cStay calm, stay clever, and don\u2019t be afraid to pivot,\u201d she said. \u201cYour reaction can redefine the moment. Find your allies, use your platform, and lean into your unique voice. The unexpected can actually be your biggest stage if you know how to own it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

And for what she hopes everyone knows about the WNBA, that it\u2019s \u201csome of the most exciting, skillful basketball you\u2019ll ever watch.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe talent, the passion, the strategy,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s all three, and it deserves the same energy and support as any other league. Once people come to a game or tune in, they get it immediately.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n