WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert appears to be feeling the heat right now.
Engelbert is likely to exit as commissioner sometime after the current negotiations on a new WNBA collective bargaining agreement, Tom Friend of Sports Business Journal reported on Tuesday. Friend notes that pressure is mounting on Engelbert inside both NBA and WNBA circles and adds that her presumed departure is tied to her poor relationships with both players and colleagues.
You can read Friend’s full report on the situation here.
The 60-year-old Engelbert became the first-ever WNBA commissioner in 2019 (as the league’s previous leaders were given the title of president). She had previously served as the CEO of Big Four firm Deloitte.
But Engelbert has recently faced heavy criticism over her perceived inability to maximize the league’s surge in both fan interest and revenue as a result of Caitlin Clark’s arrival in 2024. Earlier this week, Engelbert was even accused of making a controversial, tone-deaf remark about Clark.
On top of that, WNBA players and fans alike have been upset about the unproductive negotiations on a new CBA (as the current one expires on Oct. 31). During this year’s WNBA All-Star game, the players joined forces to send a strong message about salaries to Engelbert and the league’s other leaders, and the fans later followed suit as well by hitting Engelbert with a loud two-word chant.
Meanwhile, WNBA players and coaches are quickly getting more direct with their Engelbert criticisms. Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve was recently disciplined for her scathing comments about Engelbert, and Lynx star Napheesa Collier, a five-time All-Star and vice president of the WNBPA, also just slammed WNBA leadership in a brutal statement.
While Engelbert’s business experience speaks for itself, it sounds like she is sorely lacking in the area of public relations. As a result, Engelbert’s time as WNBA commissioner may be coming to an end after just over six years.
