Cathy Engelbert to retire as WNBA commissioner at end of 2026

Cathy Engelbert will retire as WNBA commissioner on December 31, ending a tenure of more than seven years at the head of the league. The Associated Press reported Friday that Engelbert had been considering retirement for months and described the decision as her own, rather than the result of pressure from NBA or WNBA stakeholders.

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Engelbert became the WNBA’s first commissioner in 2019 after serving as chief executive of Deloitte. She is the second-longest-serving president or commissioner in league history. NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced her decision and credited her leadership during what he described as the most significant period of growth in the WNBA’s 30-year history.

The league must now choose its next leader at a time of rapid expansion and major commercial change. According to the AP report, Engelbert said both internal and external candidates are under consideration. She has worked on succession planning in recent years and intends to help with the handover, though she said she would remain in place if a successor has not been found by the planned retirement date.

Several major developments were completed during Engelbert’s tenure. The WNBA secured a long-term media rights agreement, introduced charter travel for players and negotiated a new collective bargaining agreement this spring. That labor deal produced the league’s first million-dollar player salaries. The competition also continued through the coronavirus pandemic and is scheduled to grow to 18 teams by the end of the decade.

The AP reported that the league also posted record television audiences and strong attendance as franchise values increased sharply. Engelbert said the average WNBA franchise was valued at $10 million in 2019 and about $460 million in 2026. Those figures were presented in the report as part of the financial transformation that shaped her assessment that this was an appropriate time to leave.

Her period in charge also included strains between league leadership and players. The AP noted concerns from players about online abuse and safety, as well as a difficult relationship during the latest collective bargaining talks. Breanna Stewart, a vice-president on the players’ union executive committee, said before the All-Star Game that players respected Engelbert but did not have much of a relationship with her. The succession process will therefore unfold with the WNBA growing commercially while its next commissioner inherits ongoing player-relations responsibilities.