WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert is retiring, with the league saying she will step down after the 2026 season. The news follows her years as the first commissioner in league history, a period that multiple outlets describe as both transformative and contentious.
Engelbert took over ahead of the 2019 WNBA season and has led the league through major changes, including expansion and new revenue and media deals. Several reports highlight her role in negotiating a collective bargaining agreement earlier this spring that results in the WNBA’s first million-dollar player salaries.
While outlets broadly agree on her leadership timeline and the league’s growth during her tenure, they differ in emphasis. Some coverage frames her time as financially successful and historically significant, while The Athletic and CBS Sports also note criticism of her leadership style. The Winnipeg Free Press similarly characterizes her term as transformative and at times tumultuous, underscoring that her exit concludes a period marked by both achievements and controversy.
