WNBA players and their union spoke out against commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s recent comments on a TV show that failed to condemn racist and bitter criticism from fans toward the Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese rivalry.
Engelbert made an appearance on CNBC’s “Power Lunch” on Monday and was asked by anchor Tyler Mathisen about what he called the “darker” tone taken by fan bases on social media that brings race and sometimes sexuality into the conversation.
“How do you try and stay ahead of that, try and tamp it down or act as a league when two of your most visible players are involved — not personally, it would seem, but their fan bases are involved — in saying some very uncharitable things about the other?” Mathisen asked.
Engelbert responded by saying, “There’s no more apathy. Everybody cares. It is a little of that Bird-Magic moment if you recall 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, you need rivalry. That’s what makes people watch. They want to watch games of consequence between rivals. They don’t want everybody being nice to one another.”
WNBPA executive director Terri Jackson issued a statement Tuesday disagreeing with Engelbert’s comments.
“Here is the answer that the commissioner should have provided to the very clear question regarding the racism, misogyny, and harassment experienced by the Players: There is absolutely no place in sport — or in life — for the vile hate, racist language, homophobic comments, and the misogynistic attacks our players are facing on social media,” the statement said.
The union statement went on to say that fandom should “lift up the game, not tear down the very people who bring it to life.”
Engelbert clarified her initial remarks on social media late Tuesday night, writing, “To be clear, there is absolutely no place for hate or racism of any kind in the WNBA or anywhere else.”
Clark and Reese have brought new attention to the WNBA this season with attendance and ratings soaring. The pair have been rivals on the court since their college days when LSU topped Iowa in the national championship game in 2023.
Union vice president Breanna Stewart was disappointed in Engelbert’s initial comments.
“To be honest, I saw the interview today, and have been in talks with Terri at the WNBPA,” Stewart said after a win over the Dallas Wings. “I think that it’s kind of disappointing to hear because the way that the fans have surged, especially behind Caitlin and Angel coming to this league, but also bringing, like, a race aspect, to a different level.
“And you know, there’s no place for that in our sport. I think that’s really what it is. We want our sport to be inclusive for race, for gender, and really a place where people can be themselves. So we wish, obviously, Cathy would have used her platform in a different way, and have made that a little bit better, kind of just telling the fans enough is enough.”