Restoring Fractured Relationships Tops Myriad of Issues Facing New WNBA Commissioner

Cathy Engelbert’s successor as commissioner of the WNBA will inherit a complicated legacy — and burgeoning opportunity — that will require deft skills to fill the shoes held by a woman whose seven-plus years at the helm featured unprecedented commercial growth and tumultuous internal strain.Ms. Engelbert’s retirement at the end of this season is not exactly shocking news, but her transformation of the organization is a hard act to follow. As the second-longest tenured president or commissioner in the WNBA’s 30-year history, Ms. Englebert negotiated a landmark collective bargaining agreement that produced the league’s first million-dollar player salaries, secured a $3 billion media rights package, and spearheaded an expansion initiative that grew the league to a list of 18 franchises by 2030 from 12 teams when she arrived. Under her stewardship, WNBA franchise valuations have increased to about $460 million today from $10 million in 2019.Yet, her tenure has been fraught with conflict and tension. Players frequently questioned Ms. Engelbert’s leadership style during labor negotiations, openly criticized the league’s handling of players’ safety, and urged the league office to take stronger measures against online harassment and threats targeted at athletes on social media. Simultaneously, broader cultural debates over transgender athletes competing in women’s sports sparked disruptions both inside and outside of arenas.Ms. Engelbert, 61, said her decision to retire was voluntary, adding she was not pressured to step down and had been thinking about it for months. “When I first came to the league, I intended to do this for three-and-a-half years,” she told the Associated Press. “The seven-and-a-half years exceeded that time. This is a really good time given the financial transformation journey we’ve been on, getting the collective bargaining agreement done, getting a long-term media rights deal done, and getting expansion done.”NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who appointed Ms. Engelbert as the league’s commissioner in 2019 to succeed interim president Mark Taturm, praised her tenure. “Cathy has presided over the WNBA through the most significant period of growth in the league’s 30-year history,” he said. “We are grateful to Cathy’s leadership and unwavering commitment to the advancement of women’s basketball.”Because the NBA maintains organizational oversight over the WNBA, Mr. Silver will be in charge of appointing the next commissioner. Apparently, Ms. Engelbert will have input in the process. She said she has been working on a succession plan in recent years, compiling a list of internal and external candidates for consideration. “It’s a good time to hand it off to the next leader to take the ‘W’ into a better place,” she said. “I’m proud of the team we built and everything we’ve accomplished. A leader knows when it’s time to drop the mic and move on after building a powerhouse team in the league office.”Emerging Candidates and Pressing IssuesWhoever assumes the commissioner’s chair inherits several complex challenges. Foremost among them will be mending the relationship between executive leadership and the league’s players, many of whom felt marginalized or unheard during Ms. Engelbert’s leadership.The rift became public during discussions on the new collective bargaining agreement when Minnesota Lynx star and vice president of the players’ union Napheesa Collier said the league suffered from “the worst leadership in the world.”While that critique left a mark on Ms. Englebert’s legacy, other voices offer a more balanced perspective. New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart, who also serves as vice president of the players’ union, had only kind words for Ms. Engelbert’s tenure.“What she’s done for the league is incredible,” Ms. Stewart said. “Obviously, the CBA negotiation was a tough one, but the way that both sides continue to have a huge win is really important. So really happy for her and hope that she continues to remember that.”Beyond player relations, the incoming leader must establish firm operational protocols for managing digital abuse, improve on-court officiating, and elevate arena security. The league office will also be expected to navigate eligibility requirements surrounding transgender athletes — a topic that has generated heated public debate and protests outside and inside arenas.Looking ahead, the new commissioner must also craft a comprehensive strategy for the league to maximize its brand reach during the 2028 Summer Olympics at Los Angeles where many WNBA players will compete for their respective countries.Across its 30-year history, the WNBA has consistently been guided by female presidents and commissioners. Many have had top-tier corporate experience. The league’s first president, Val Ackerman, came directly from the NBA executive ranks while Ms. Engelbert joined after serving as an executive for Deloitte, a professional services network.A crisis management expert, Jeff Hunt, told USA Today the WNBA needs a leader with a variety of skills. “It’s a tough job to fill for a lot of different reasons,” Mr. Hunt said. “They’re going to have to get somebody that can be a bridge builder, somebody that has a big vision for where the brand can go, and knows how to monetize it and capture and take advantage of the popularity.”An intriguing list of potential candidates is beginning to emerge. Some of the names mentioned in various reports include the athletic director at Duke since 2021, Nina King. Ms. King has been the chairwoman of the NCAA Tournament committee for women’s basketball and serves on the board of directors for USA Basketball.Another name being mentioned is brand investment expert Andrea Brimmer. Ms. Brimmer has orchestrated partnerships with the WNBA, NWSL, and the Unrivaled Basketball League.Also on the short list are former WNBA player Taj McWilliams-Franklin; three-time WNBA champion and four-time all-star, Swin Cash, who has been an NBA executive for six season; Ms. Englebert’s direct report, Bethany Donaphin, senior vie president and head of league operations, who has often made appearances when the commissioner wasn’t able to attend; president of the Jordan Brand, Sarah Mensah; and an executive vice president and chief revenue officer for the NFL, Renie Anderson.Each has a set of credentials that brings them into the running: Ms. Anderson brings extensive experience in driving mega-scale sports media and sponsorship revenue. Ms. Mensah signed a number of WNBA players including Ms. Collier, Maya Moore, and Rhyne Howard to major endorsement portfolios. Ms. Donaphin has worked with the NBA and WNBA for the last decade and understands the issues surrounding the league.A former vice president of basketball operations for the New Orleans Pelicans and Ms. Cash started her own company in 2025, She’s Got Time, a media and lifestyle company that connects women in sports. For the Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer, Ms. McWilliams-Franklin, working with the women’s league in player relations and as a development manager — as well as for the NBA and the development basketball league in its inaugural season, the Upshot League, offers the WNBA extensive experience in basketball operations. Smooth Transition Ahead … Or NotAll of the candidates bring something to the table, but no official timetable has been set for naming the new commissioner. The league is currently on a break while the 2026 FIBA World Cup is being contested at Berlin. A hectic schedule looms when action resumes as teams will race through the final weeks of the regular season before the playoffs begin.For her part, Ms. Engelbert isn’t packing up her desk just yet. “I love women’s basketball and am not going anywhere yet,” she said. “We’ll run a real succession process in the remaining four months. If we don’t find someone I’ll stay on. I had no transition. I walked in the door, and I was by myself as no one transitioned me into this role. Hopefully, I can help this next leader transition in, especially considering the elevation of the league.”

Restoring Fractured Relationships Tops Myriad of Issues Facing New WNBA Commissioner

Restoring Fractured Relationships Tops Myriad of Issues Facing New WNBA Commissioner

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