Portland Thorns social media accounts received a wave of criticism after the team posted appreciation for its fans on Friday night, the same evening supporters wearing XX-XY Athletics T-shirts were physically assaulted and ejected. The team's post thanked fans for providing the "absolute best atmosphere" and "support and energy" all season long, but the message was quickly overwhelmed by negative replies from those who objected to the team's response to the on-field violence.
The incident began when women's sports activists attended the National Women's Soccer League game wearing shirts that referenced biological sex and holding a sign reading "Save Women's Sports." According to accounts from attendees, pro-trans Thorns fans struck several of these individuals with a flag pole and verbally abused them. Security personnel subsequently physically restrained some of the shirt wearers and threw them out of the stadium.
The online reaction to the Thorns' post was described by users as being "ratioed," a social media term indicating that a post received significantly more replies than likes. Journalist Andy Ngo stated that the team allowed thugs to assault women before having security remove the victims. Columnist Dustin Grage wrote that the team's fans were violent and that the club cheered them on. X user Charlotte Welcker called the events disgusting, noting that security threw out a woman who had been assaulted by a fan.
Brandi Kruse, a reporter and "Save Women's Sports" activist who was physically restrained by security and thrown out of the stadium, detailed an incident involving her friend Julie. Kruse reported on X that Julie, a 57-year-old lesbian, was shoved by a male Thorns fan and tumbled over two rows of chairs while wearing an XX-XY Athletics shirt. Kruse said the man later apologized, claiming he was following the crowd, and noted that Julie has filed a police report. An accompanying video showed the aftermath of the shove.
Other users in the comments section expressed that they would never attend a Thorns game again, citing the assault of women wearing shirts representing science. One user remarked that the team only enforced rules against specific athletic brands to ensure quick ejections. The backlash highlighted a divide between the team's official messaging and the actions of its supporter base during what was designated as Fan Appreciation Night.
OutKick reporter Jackson Thompson noted on X that Friday night was Fan Appreciation Night, suggesting the Thorns should have better read the room regardless of the theme. The incident has drawn comparisons to previous controversies in women's professional sports, with some commentators arguing that the National Women's Soccer League appears more radical and intolerant than the Women's National Basketball Association in handling similar disputes over athletic apparel.