- Slug: Sports–WNBA Commissioner Under Fire. 400 words.
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By Aya Abdeen
Cronkite News
PHOENIX – A Phoenix Mercury forward joined the chorus of WNBA players and fans who criticized commissioner Cathy Engelbert for recent comments about social media attacks on players.
“I am not a politics person, but that’s B.S., come on,” Natasha Mack said Wednesday. “We’ve got to hold everybody accountable. That’s all I have to say.”
Engelbert faced backlash after her statement Monday on the rivalry between league stars Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese and the increasing harassment of players. She compared the players to NBA legends Larry Bird and Magic Johnson and their long-enduring rivalry.
The commissioner was asked on CNBC’s “Power Lunch“ about how the league tries to stay ahead of the darker side of social media.
“The WNBA players are really looked at now as kind of cultural icons,” Engelbert said. “And when you have that, you have a lot of attention on you. There’s no more apathy. Everybody cares. It is a little bit of that Bird-Magic moment if you recall, from 1979. When those two rookies came in from a big college rivalry, one white, one Black. And so we have that moment with these two.
“But the one thing I know about sports, you need rivalry. That’s what makes people watch. They want to watch games of consequence between rivals. They don’t want everybody being nice to one another.”
Clark and Reese are among the most high-profile players in a league that continues to set attendance records. League attendance is up by 48.2% from 2023, according to the WNBA.
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association issued a statement in response to Engelbert’s comments.
“Here is the answer that the Commissioner should have provided to the very clear question regarding the racism, misogyny, and harassment experienced by the Players: There is absolutely no place in sport-or in life—for the vile hate, racist language, homophobic comments, and misogynistic attacks our players are facing on social media,” the statement read. “This is not about rivalries or iconic personalities fueling a business model.
“This kind of toxic fandom should never be tolerated or left unchecked. It demands immediate action, and frankly, should have been addressed long ago.”
Englelbert responded to the backlash on social media Tuesday, saying, “There is absolutely no place for hate or racism of any kind in the WNBA or anywhere else.”
