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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Skidmore chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.
If you’re a sports fan, Cathy Engelbert is a name you’ve definitely seen making headlines lately. She has been taking hits from numerous players, notably from 5x WNBA all-star, Napheesa Collier. After a questionably officiated game, frustrated, she called Engelbert out by saying there is a, “lack of accountability from the league office.” This was just the tip of the iceberg, as she continued to note how Engelbert disregarded these remarks, even going so far as to say: “Well, only the losers complain about the refs” and “Clark should be grateful she makes $16 million off the court because without the platform that the WNBA gives her, she wouldn’t make anything.” Granted, Engelbert vehemently denies these allegations from Collier. Regardless of whether or not Collier quoted it perfectly, what’s a fact is that Engelbert has created an almost unrepairable divide between herself and the league’s players. With the league growing at an unprecedented rate, headlining notable young players such as Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark, it’s more important than ever to have leadership that’s going to guide and support these women. What we have now is someone who is seemingly doing the opposite.
This isn’t just a recent issue—though it’s safe to say Cathy Engelbert has faced more backlash in the past few weeks than ever before. Still, the controversy didn’t start here. There were signs of trouble as far back as last year that hinted towards the WNBA’s current struggles. Last year, during game 5 of the 2024 WNBA finals, Engelbert showed up showcasing a New York City skyline-inspired dress. However, this was a questionable choice, as the game was between the New York Liberty and the Minnesota Lynx. Clearly, she drew criticism from fans, upset that she was showing bias. In my opinion, this was completely unprofessional of her to do. While this could’ve simply been an issue of poor judgment, fans of the league weren’t too fond of her.
All things surrounding salary, money, and labor haven’t been Engelbert’s strong suit. For instance, she has been very stubborn about giving players the ability to fly charter, meaning, they would get their own private flights. This has caused an enormous amount of backlash, as a video of Caitlin Clark being swarmed at an airport by a local news station went viral. Furthermore, she has been criticized for her subpar rookie pay. When players are drafted into the league, and if they manage to avoid being cut due to the limited number of teams, the salary they receive is hardly enough to make a living. As a result, many rookies, and eventually veterans, find themselves playing overseas to make more money. In the NBA this would be unimaginable. In general, many of the criticisms directed at Engelbert aren’t new; they have simply begun receiving more public attention.
So, why does this matter so much today? After all, the season just came to a close, with A’ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces sweeping the Phoenix Mercury to headline as your 2025 WNBA champions. However, the deadline for the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) is on October 31st. This is where there’s a chance to change the salary maximums and minimums, along with a handful of other business and labor propositions. Right now, rumors are going around saying that the salary cap will be raised to $800,000, with the veteran minimum being $300,000. This is a significant increase to where it’s at right now. However, if no deal is reached with the players and Engelbert, a lockout could happen. While failure to reach a deal wouldn’t necessarily translate into one, this is something that’s definitely looming over everybody’s minds. If one were to happen, the league’s owners would stop operations. The league’s facilities would be shut down until one were to be signed. Evidently, this would not be ideal, so it will be interesting to keep an eye on if the Engelbert controversy plays a negative role in any of this.
Being a WNBA fan myself, I’ll end by sharing my opinions on the current issues the league is having. For starters, despite trying to give Engelbert the benefit of the doubt, my opinions of her have definitely sunk. I completely agree with Collier calling her out, and am a fan of all the players who have sided with her. It would be one thing if the league’s popularity hasn’t grown over the past few years. However, that couldn’t be farther from the truth, which is why I think that she isn’t the right person to lead the league anymore. We need someone who is willing to acknowledge the league’s shortcomings, specifically surrounding the unequal pay, and most importantly, we need someone new that everyone respects. To put it simply, I think that Engelbert has lost her credibility as commissioner. While you may argue that no bond is too broken to be fixed, I just don’t feel like that’s the case here. Once you’ve lost respect from the league’s most influential players and coaches, mending that gap is seemingly impossible. With that being said, one question remains: What’s next for Cathy Engelbert?
Sources:
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Beyond-repair-napheesa-collier-cathy-engelbert-wnba-teetering-brink
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