Latest & Breaking News on Fox News
· collected 2026-09-04 · by Jon Root
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert will retire in 2026, marking seven years at the helm since taking over in 2019. Engelbert's tenure has been marked by significant growth in revenue, media rights, and player compensation, with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver calling her period as commissioner the most significant period of growth in WNBA history. However, the article argues that Engelbert's success is overshadowed by her handling of controversies, including embracing a prominent social-justice role during the COVID-19 pandemic, which made the league increasingly politically divisive and alienated fans who sought to escape politics through sports. The article also cites two specific examples: the "Wubble" and Dearica Hamby's pregnancy controversy, highlighting Engelbert's perceived failures in managing relationships with players and protecting the league's reputation.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-04,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced Friday that she would retire following the 2026 season after seven years in the role.
asserted
she → announce → role
Engelbert took over in 2019 as the WNBA’s first commissioner, and there is no question the league is substantially bigger, more visible and more valuable than when she arrived.
asserted
she → take → commissioner
The league expanded, secured major media-rights agreements, introduced charter travel and negotiated significant increases in player compensation through a new collective bargaining agreement signed before the 2026 season.
asserted
league → expand → season
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has called Engelbert’s tenure the most significant period of growth in WNBA history.
asserted
Silver → call → history
But does she deserve credit for these successes?
asserted
she → deserve → successes
I believe the answer is clear.
asserted
answer → believe → ?
A commissioner must also maintain relationships with the players, and those relationships have been objectively tumultuous throughout Engelbert’s tenure.
asserted
relationships → maintain → tenure
She must protect the league’s reputation and its stars, an area in which she has also fallen short.
asserted
she → protect → which
She must manage controversies, something she has repeatedly failed to do.
asserted
she → manage → something
Finally, she must ensure the on-court product is entertaining and credible, which is arguably the strongest case in her favor.
asserted
which → ensure → favor
It goes without saying that Engelbert’s tenure has become increasingly contentious, helping lead to her decision to retire.
asserted
tenure → go → decision
Engelbert’s first major test came almost immediately.
asserted
test → come → ?
The COVID-19 pandemic threatened the 2020 season, but the WNBA successfully created the "Wubble" — a play on words combining WNBA and bubble — in Florida and completed the season.
asserted
WNBA → threaten → season
While it was a success that the season was able to be played, the league also embraced an increasingly prominent social-justice role.
asserted
league → play → role
I truly believe this is where the WNBA became the most politically divisive league in America.
asserted
WNBA → believe → America
Players wore social-justice messages, including support for criminal Jacob Blake and Black Lives Matter, which was led by self-described Marxists, and the league partnered with players on racial-justice initiatives.
asserted
league → wear → initiatives
Engelbert allowed all of this to happen and disenfranchised fans who didn’t care for the overt political messaging when they turned to sports as an escape.
asserted
they → allow → escape
Engelbert also allowed herself and the league to be bullied by radical left-wing activist players who ousted Atlanta Dream owner and Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler while publicly supporting Raphael Warnock through "Vote Warnock" T-shirts on the court because Loeffler publicly opposed the league’s Black Lives Matter messaging.
asserted
Loeffler → allow → messaging
When the league could have focused on basketball, Engelbert helped the WNBA become completely intertwined with left-wing politics.
uncertain
WNBA → focus → politics
One of the most serious controversies of Engelbert's tenure involved former Las Vegas Aces star Dearica Hamby.
asserted
One → involve → Hamby
Hamby alleged that she experienced bullying and mistreatment after revealing that she was pregnant.
asserted
she → allege → bullying
The WNBA investigated the situation and determined that the Aces had violated league rules concerning impermissible benefits during contract negotiations involving Hamby.
asserted
Aces → investigate → Hamby
The league punished Las Vegas by taking away a first-round draft pick and suspending coach Becky Hammon for two games.
asserted
league → punish → games
The controversy raised a larger question about how seriously professional sports organizations protect pregnant athletes.
asserted
organizations → raise → athletes
It also placed Engelbert in the uncomfortable position of having to demonstrate that the league's commitment to women's sports extended to protecting players who become mothers.
asserted
who → place → players
The charter-flight controversy
For years, WNBA teams primarily traveled commercially because charter flights were considered financially impractical under league economics.
asserted
flights → travel → economics
That became increasingly controversial as players complained about exhausting travel schedules and safety concerns.
asserted
players → become → schedules
The issue became particularly embarrassing for the league because teams had previously been punished for using unauthorized charter flights.
Then, in 2024, with the influx of attention, security concerns, and money due to Caitlin Clark, Engelbert announced that the WNBA would introduce a league-wide charter program.
asserted
WNBA → become → program
Engelbert was right that charter flights didn’t make financial sense before Clark arrived, so I can give her some credit.
asserted
I → make → credit
Ultimately, however, Clark deserves the credit for this, not Engelbert.
asserted
Clark → deserve → this
The explosion of Clark's popularity also exposed another problem: the WNBA's handling of physical play and officiating.
asserted
explosion → expose → play
Clark was repeatedly involved in controversial physical incidents, and fans increasingly questioned whether the league was protecting its biggest star.
asserted
league → involve → star
No.
Engelbert was given a gift and she did little to nothing to protect her golden goose.
asserted
she → give → goose
Players and coaches complained about inconsistent officiating, physicality and a lack of accountability.
asserted
Players → complain → accountability
Engelbert eventually announced a committee focused on the "state of the game" and officiating after concerns escalated.
asserted
concerns → announce → game
Without Clark, the WNBA wouldn't reach new heights and new fans.
asserted
WNBA → reach → heights
They needed her for the future of the league and Engelbert was afraid to put her foot down in the wake of immense jealousy, hatred and pettiness from her peers.
asserted
Engelbert → need → peers
The "Pay Us What You Owe Us" movement
asserted
You → pay → Us
While the WNBA was drawing record attention, another controversy was brewing: money.
asserted
controversy → draw → attention
The league had never made a profit.
asserted
league → make → profit
…and 32 more, not listed.
