Nuggets ban superfan from games over treatment of players, referees

A longtime Denver Nuggets season ticket holder is no longer allowed to attend games at Ball Arena after reportedly receiving complaints from players and referees about her behavior.

Vicki Ray owned season tickets for 32 years and rarely missed a game, but in February, the 71-year-old Nuggets superfan received a call from the team informing her that she was being banned, according to Alan Gionet of CBS News Colorado.

"I've had these same seats for (the) 25 years that the arena's been open," Ray told Gionet. "And on the other arena, they made me two seats on the floor where the players came out."

Ray said she was told earlier this season that she could no longer bring signs to games and wouldn't be allowed to enter the arena early before games or stay after when players were greeting their family and friends.

She said she was later accused by security of grabbing a referee and hitting a player in the face, both of which she denies. However, Ray does admit to passing notes to referees.

"Well, I did that," she said. "OK. But I passed a note to the refs every game for 25 years. Christmas cards, birthday cards, everything."

In a statement to CBS News Colorado, Jim Mulvihill, the Nuggets' director of marketing and communications, wrote, "We have made the difficult decision to revoke the season-ticket membership of a longtime fan due to repeated violations and warnings of the NBA's code of conduct as well as Ball Arena's code of conduct. We are saddened to take this action but have done so in accordance with league and venue guidelines."

According to Chris Perez of Denver Westword, both players and referees complained about Ray's behavior.

Ray said her attorney requested proof of her questionable actions from the Nuggets' ownership group, Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, but didn't receive a response. However, KSE told CBS News Colorado on Saturday that it did provide video and written evidence to Ray's lawyer.