Friends, fans react to ban of Denver Nuggets superfan Vicki Ray. Friend says "she deserves respect"
The Denver Nuggets on Monday night hosted the Memphis Grizzlies at Ball Arena, giving them a solid shellacking by 25 points, but without the cheering or greetings from longtime Nuggets fan Vicki Ray. She remains missing from Nuggets games after a decision by Kronke Sports and Entertainment to ban her from Ball Arena.
Another big crowd showed up, even with the Nuggets playing a team seemingly in a perpetual state of torpor this season.
"Seems like there might be another way to do this," Nuggets fan Kirk Quinn said on his way into the game. "I'm a big believer in second chances."
It was hard to find support for the decision to ban Ray, a 32-year season ticket holder.
"Why?" asked Sara Karger. "But if she can't follow the rules then, yeah."
Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, which has declined our interview requests, released an additional statement about the ban on Monday but did not identify Ray personally: "Specific incidents included unwanted contact with participants. The inappropriate behavior continued even after repeated warnings. We are open and transparent with what is and is not acceptable behavior. This fan repeatedly violated these terms."
Ray told CBS News Colorado she was accused of grabbing a referee and later accused of hitting a player in the face. She denies both.
"I didn't grab anybody," she said. "Almost all of (the referees) stopped and hugged me and kissed me on the cheek. When they come out when they come in, when they go out, when they go in."
Video from a fellow fan from earlier this year shows players and referees interacting with Ray.
"I'm like 'what? No, no, no.' I didn't want to believe it," said Brandy Costello, who has seats in the same row where Ray sat and shared the video.
"It's not the players and it's not the coaches. None of them. I would never say it's any of them that with these crazy accusations," she remarked, explaining that, in the time she and her husband have shared seats with friends since 2018, she has never seen Ray act inappropriately.
"The players and coaches love Miss Vicki. I have a video to show they love on her, they hug her," said Costello.
She considers herself a friend of Ray. She says Ray helped her son be bold enough to come forward and meet an NBA star.
"That inspired him. He just needed that little bit of edge," Costello. "And sometimes you just need someone to say you can do it, you can. And that was Miss Vicki. To this day he loves Miss Vicki."
Costello said she would like to give Ray her tickets to the remaining Nuggets games this season, but cannot, since her friend is now banned from attending Nuggets games at the arena. She wonders why there wasn't another option: "What happened to a little smack on the hand and say don't do that again?"
"I don't know what they're doing, but I'm not going to lay down and play dead," Ray said. Her friend would like a break for her. "At least they can give her more respect and really sit down with her and give her an opportunity. Show her that," said Costello.
