Between the departure of former WNBA president Lisa Borders and the news that Cathy Engelbert would be assuming the W’s top job was an exhausting multi-month find that saw Mark Tatum handle the WNBA’s president duties until Engelbert came on to the scene.
Another thing it came with – a new name for the job as the term “commissioner” replaced “president.”
In an interview with Crain’s New York Business, Engelbert says whether the official title remained “president” or became “commissioner” had no effect on her desire to take the job – and that changing the title to commissioner was from the brain of the NBA’s – Adam Silver.
I would have. I’m not into titles. The title was, I think, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver’s idea. But when you think about gender parity, it was important.
–Cathy Engelbert, WNBA commissioner (Crain’s)
Engelbert also mentioned other topics with Aaron Elstein of Crain’s. She reiterated that her goal for the WNBA is to get the league to 10% of all media coverage and 10% of all corporate sponsorship money. She was asked what her pitch to be to someone who is on the fence about the W.
It’s the purest form of basketball. They run plays, and the pace is fast. We have 34 games, not 80, so every game, quarter and minute counts. Our games are typically over in 120 minutes, like soccer.
–Cathy Engelbert, WNBA commissioner (Crain’s)
The New York publication also asked Engelbert, a New Yorker herself, about New York’s team. As everyone knows, there will be a lot of firsts for the Liberty in 2020 – a new coach in Walt Hopkins, a new home court at Barclays Center and a new first overall draft pick.
She believes that the Liberty contending for a ring would have the entire city rallying around the black and seafoam/statue green – as Washington, D.C. did last year for its first-time champion Mystics.
In Washington, you’re seeing the entire city embrace the Mystics after they won the WNBA title. I see no reason why that wouldn’t happen here if the Liberty make New York a city of champions again.
–Cathy Engelbert, WNBA commissioner (Crain’s)
The Liberty have played in four WNBA Finals (three vs. the Houston Comets), but have yet to secure that elusive championship – and ensuing parade down New York’s Canyon of Heroes. If Sabrina Ionescu is the Libs selection first overall, could that be step one in making that happen?
