Stakeholders question Engelbert's ability to lead WNBA into future - ESPN

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.»

Among the other details in the story:

• When asked by ESPN if she's misunderstood, Engelbert said: «All we're focused on is executing the strategy,» she said, referring to her goal of elevating the league from hypergrowth into sustained growth mode."

• Nine months after vowing to address any concerns with leadership, sources league-wide said