Sue Bird might be late to the Coldplay trend, but she nailed her version—with help from Doppler and a courtside cameo by Megan Rapinoe.
During a recent Seattle Storm game at Climate Pledge Arena, the WNBA icon and team mascot Doppler recreated the viral “couple in the suite” moment that first took off during a Coldplay concert involving the CEO of Astronomer and his wife.
As seen in a fan-shot video, Rapinoe was first introduced to the crowd to a warm reception. Moments later, the camera cut to the suites above the court, revealing Bird and Doppler trying to hide in the same pose as the viral couple. Rapinoe played it perfectly, reacting with mock surprise as the crowd caught on.
Bird’s spoof instantly became the WNBA’s take on the trend, joining similar tributes from across the sports world, including MLB stadiums.
Bird and Rapinoe, who began dating after the 2016 Rio Olympics, have been one of sports’ most iconic power couples. Bird won gold in Rio, while Rapinoe and the USWNT were stunned by Sweden in a penalty shootout. The two got engaged in October 2020 and have been supportive of each other’s post-career projects. Bird retired in 2022, while Rapinoe called it a career following the USWNT’s Round of 16 exit at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup—again, at the hands of Sweden.
Sue Bird Statue Gets Rapinoe’s Stamp of Approval
Come August 17, Bird will receive a statue outside Climate Pledge Arena, becoming the first Storm player honored with a permanent tribute.
On the “BFFR Podcast” with Angel City FC stars Ali Riley and Sydney Leroux, Sue Bird teased the upcoming statue and shared some behind-the-scenes details.
“I’ve seen the clay version,” she said. “They make it in clay first, then bronze it. I haven’t seen the final one, but they made me look so ripped—I’m happy. I don’t care. This is on another level.”
Rapinoe chimed in with her own review: “No, I’ll take it. It looks good.”
Sue Bird, a four-time WNBA champion and longtime face of the franchise, is also set to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame next month.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
