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Posted on 07/24/2026 9:02:12 AM PDT by MinorityRepublican
The WNBA has a historic collective bargaining agreement in hand and is seeing unprecedented growth, but stakeholders in and around the league question whether commissioner Cathy Engelbert is the right person to lead it into the future, according to an ESPN story released Friday.
ESPN's Alexa Philippou interviewed more than 20 owners, management executives, players and other industry insiders, conversations that revealed that for as much business growth Engelbert has overseen, she is not the right person to navigate the demands the league faces and what its stakeholders need.
"I do think Cathy thinks, well, she's done her job. She got us financially set up the right way," a team executive said. "It's the other pieces that we're talking about."
Multiple high-ranking team sources also told ESPN they believe the 2026 season will likely be Engelbert's last.
In an interview last week with ESPN, Engelbert -- who was named WNBA commissioner in May 2019 and has overseen two CBA negotiations -- continued to deflect questions about her future as commissioner.
"I'm focused head-down on executing this highly, highly successful 30th season," Engelbert told Philippou. "I love this league. We're going to continue to drive the business. And don't worry about me. It's more about the team ... that's what we've built here at the W. So I'm really, really optimistic about where we're going in the future."
(Excerpt) Read more at espn.com ...
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So are they off the NBA money drip now?
Well, she’s no Humperdinck.
Young freepers may be puzzled by that.
Ingy.
The stake holders don’t want to see the golden goose killed.
Literally.
😝 I was about to ask, if she could sing. 🤪
Until today I had never realized just how weird his name was, I always knew it was odd, but it is really, really, odd.
Arnold George Dorsey could have chosen the stage name George Dorsey for example.
Cathy Engelbert >>>>>>>>>>
She is not easy to lick !
“After the Lovin”
“Stakeholders.”
I’ve heard the women’s NBA has been subsidized from day 1 by the NBA. And after 30 years, this subsidy continues.
In a free market, is there a market for women’s pro basketball?
Does the WNBA have a TV contract or other media rights deals?
How much are tickets to the games?
What attendance do they have?
does the NBA support the WNBA to make a political statement about supporting women’s basketball? Even though such support cuts into the revenues of the NBA teams?
I know the WNBA teams and players have their fans, but, clearly not in sufficient numbers to at least break even financially.
WNBA may always be a niche sport, not a sport with widespread audience.
Englebert presided over 2 CBA’s that got more money for the players (stakeholders) when the league is still dependent on the largess of the NBA. I don’t know how that plays with the ownership groups (shareholders).
The game doesn’t appeal to me. There are a few real stars, the officiating stinks and the players seem more concerned making political statements. That’s not unique to women’s sports, I know. But when you’re attempting to build your league, and make it stand on its own financially, you can’t afford that nonsense.
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