WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert has issued an apology for her comments earlier this week about racism and sexism that players experience from some fan bases on social media.
In a letter sent by Engelbert to the players that was obtained by ESPN’s Michael Voepel, Engelbert expressed remorse for not providing a more thoughtful answer to the questions:
“I was asked a question about WNBA rivalries and the dark side of social media and race, and simply put, my answer missed the mark and I’m sorry. I regret that I didn’t express, in a clear and definitive way, condemnation of the hateful speech that is all too often directed at WNBA players on social media. … I should have stated directly and unequivocally that hate speech is harmful. This is a teachable moment and one I embrace with humility. There is absolutely no room for racism, misogyny, homophobia and other forms of hate in the WNBA or anywhere. I know many of you have been dealing with it for a long time. I want us as a league to do our part to change the too often toxic and abusive nature of social media discourse.”
Engelbert also pledged to listen to the players and work with them to combat abusive fan behavior and provide players with mental health resources and guidance.
Appearing on Monday’s episode of Power Lunch on CNBC, Engelbert was asked about how she tries to stay ahead of the racist and sexist vitriol that several players have said they experience from fans online.
Engelbert used the question as an opportunity to promote the on-court rivalry between Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark by comparing it to Magic Johnson vs. Larry Bird
The comments drew instant backlash from players. WNBPA executive director Terri Jackson issued a statement that was critical of Engelbert:
Engelbert responded to the backlash by issuing a statement on X:
On a recent episode of her podcast, Reese opened up about how she has received death threats and racist comments from Clark fans dating back to when both of women were playing against each other in college.
Aliyah Boston, Clark’s teammate with the Indiana Fever, told Megan Armstrong of UPROXX she had to delete social media when the team was struggling early in the season because of the things people were saying about her.
Clark has spoken out against people who try to use her name to push any sort of hateful agenda toward other players in the league.
Engelbert has been commissioner of the WNBA since 2019. She took over after NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum served as interim president of the league from 2018 to ’19 following Lisa Borders’ departure.
