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WNBPA, players condemn commissioner Cathy Engelbert over interview on race, Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese rivalry

VaselineSeptember 11, 2024

0 3 minutes read

WNBPA, players condemn commissioner Cathy Engelbert over interview on race, Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese rivalry

The Women’s National Basketball Players Association and several WNBA players spoke out against commissioner Cathy Engelbert following her appearance on CNBC on Tuesday.

Engelbert was asked about the “darker” and “more menacing” tone some fans have taken on social media this season, particularly when it comes to star rookies Caitlin Clark, who is white, and Angel Reese, who is Black. Her responses fell short, according to the players’ union and several players.

What did Cathy Engelbert say?

Engelbert, speaking on “Power Lunch,” was asked about the increasing harassment players are experiencing on social media and the racial aspect being brought into the conversation when it comes to Clark and Reese, among other issues.

There have been plenty of issues that players have shared in this regard throughout the season. Reese said earlier this month that some of Clark’s fans have harassed her online, made death threats, followed her home, posted AI-generated nude photos of her, and more.

Several other players have been harassed with nasty comments from fans after committing harsh fouls against Clark this season. One person reportedly called Chennedy Carter a “ghetto b****” at her team hotel after she shoulder-checked Clark. Diamond DeShields even shared a post from someone who said they hoped her spinal cord tumor would come back.

But instead of getting into those details, Engelbert focused on the on-court rivalry between Reese and Clark and how it’s growing the league, likening it to the early rivalry between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson in the NBA.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert on the toxicity stemming from the Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese rivalry. It seems to me that the WNBA media continuing to berate the fans is counter to what the commissioner wants. Let me know what you think. #WNBA #feverrising

Full… photo.twitter.com/N67HN0n6Vn

— Ken Swift (@kenswift) September 9, 2024

“There’s no apathy anymore. Everybody cares,” she said. “It’s kind of that (Larry) Bird-Magic (Johnson) moment if you remember 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 is that you need rivalry. That’s what keeps people watching. They want to see big games between rivals. They don’t want everyone being nice to each other.”

As for the social media aspect of it, Engelbert said her best advice is to just ignore it. She then went on to talk about how companies and others are investing in the competition like never before.

WNBPA, players criticize Engelbert

The WNBPA immediately condemned Engelbert’s comments Tuesday night.

“This is not about rivalries or iconic personalities fueling a business model,” WNBPA Executive Director Terri Jackson said in part. “This type of toxic fandom should never be tolerated or left unchecked. It demands immediate action and, quite frankly, is long overdue.”

Many players followed suit.

I am against all forms of discrimination, hatred and prejudice, especially in relation to sports. The intersection of racism and sports must always be rejected. No platform is too big or too small to stand up for what is right. No excuses.

— Brianna Turner (@_Breezy_Briii) September 10, 2024

“It’s taken a darker turn in terms of the kind of comments and the vitriol that’s filtered down to the players, and that’s not OK,” Las Vegas Aces forward Alysha Clark said, via ESPN. “I wish (Engelbert) would have just said, ‘It’s not OK.’

“At the end of the day, when we take these uniforms off, we’re human beings, and just because we’re athletes doesn’t mean that we’re automatically going to be subjected to these types of comments and hate. And so I think there was really a missed opportunity to stop that and just say, ‘We won’t tolerate any of that.'”

New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart also responded to Engelbert’s comments following their win over the Dallas Wings. Stewart said she was also part of the conversations earlier in the day with the WNBPA about Engelbert’s comments.

“I’m a little disappointed to hear that,” Stewart said, via ESPN. “The way the fan base has grown, and especially with Caitlin and Angel coming to this league, but also taking the racial aspect to another level — you know, there’s no place for that in our sport. We want our sport to be inclusive of race, gender, and really a place where people can be themselves.

“So of course we wanted Cathy to use her platform in a different way and we’ve made that a little bit better. Kind of saying to the fans, enough is enough. Become a fan of our sport and for the new one, join everyone, but don’t be disrespectful. Because as a league we stick together and there’s no place for that.”

Engelbert responded to criticism on social media late Tuesday evening and explained her comments.

During a recent media interview, I was asked about the dark side of social media and online conversations about WNBA rivalries and race. To be clear, there is absolutely no place for hate or racism of any kind in the WNBA or anywhere else.

— Cathy Engelbert (@CathyEngelbert) September 11, 2024

Engelbert was hired as WNBA commissioner in 2019 after a five-year stint as CEO of Deloitte, replacing former WNBA president Lisa Borders.

VaselineSeptember 11, 2024

0 3 minutes read