{"id":883860,"date":"2026-09-05T04:24:25","date_gmt":"2026-09-05T04:24:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/883860\/"},"modified":"2026-09-05T04:24:25","modified_gmt":"2026-09-05T04:24:25","slug":"wnba-commissioner-cathy-engelbert-to-retire-in-december-after-transformative-and-tumultuous-tenure-national-sports","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/883860\/","title":{"rendered":"WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert to retire in December after transformative and tumultuous tenure | National Sports"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert is retiring at the end the year, bringing to a close her seven-plus years at the helm of the league and a stewardship that has been transformative and at times tumultuous.<\/p>\n<p>Engelbert is the second-longest tenured WNBA president or commissioner, and she helped negotiate a lucrative <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/wnba-cba-deal-4445bc9b52bc17effda4a5568e95c8f6\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">collective bargaining agreement<\/a> this past spring that resulted in the league&#8217;s first set of million-dollar player salaries.<\/p>\n<p>kAm%92E 8C@HE9 92D 366? 244@&gt;A2?:65 3J 2 D6C:6D @7 9625=:?6\\8C233:?8 5:DEC24E:@?D 7@C E96 =628F6 F?56C 96C =6256CD9:A[ 6DA64:2==J \ud83d\ude15 E96 =2DE J62C] $96 925 2 DEC2:?65 C6=2E:@?D9:A H:E9 E96 A=2J6CD 5FC:?8 E96 4@?EC24E ?68@E:2E:@?D[ 2?5 E96 a_ae D62D@? 92D 366? 5@&gt;:?2E65 3J 4@?EC@G6CD:6D DFCC@F?5:?8 @77:4:2E:?8 2?5 E96 EC2?D86?56C 5632E6 2=@?8 H:E9 2 =2C86 2&gt;@F?ED @7 D@4:2= &gt;65:2 324&lt;=2D9 282:?DE (}qp A2CE:4:A2?ED]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmt?86=36CE E@=5 %96 pDD@4:2E65 !C6DD E92E E96 564:D:@? E@ =62G6 H2D D@=6=J 96C @H? 2?5 E92E D96 5:5 ?@E 766= 2?J AC6DDFC6 E@ DE6A 5@H? 7C@&gt; }qp @C (}qp DE2&lt;69@=56CD 367@C6 uC:52JVD 2??@F?46&gt;6?E] $96 :?D:DED D96 92D 2 8@@5 C6=2E:@?D9:A H:E9 A=2J6CD]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm(9:=6 E2=&gt;:DD:@?6C 2?5 A=2J6CD 92G6 366? 4@&gt;A=:42E65[ }6H *@C&lt; {:36CEJ 7@CH2C5 qC62??2 $E6H2CE[ G:46 AC6D:56?E @7 E96 (}qp A=2J6CD\u2019 F?:@? 6I64FE:G6 4@&gt;&gt;:EE66[ D2:5 uC:52J E92E D96 \ud83d\ude00 92AAJ 7@C t?86=36CE]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u201c(92E D96\u2019D 5@?6 7@C E96 =628F6 \ud83d\ude00 :?4C65:3=6[\u201d $E6H2CE D2:5] \u201c~3G:@FD=J[ E96 rqp ?68@E:2E:@? H2D 2 E@F89 @?6[ 3FE E96 H2J E92E 3@E9 D:56D 4@?E:?F6 E@ 92G6 2 9F86 H:? \ud83d\ude00 C62==J :&gt;A@CE2?E] $@ C62==J 92AAJ 7@C 96C 2?5 9@A6 E92E D96 4@?E:?F6D E@ C6&gt;6&gt;36C E92E 2?5 C67=64E @? E92E]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm$E6H2CE 925 D2:5 367@C6 yF=JVD p==\\$E2C v2&gt;6 E92E E96C6 H2D 2 C6DA64E 7@C t?86=36CE 2&gt;@?8 E96 A=2J6CD 3FE ?@E &gt;F49 @7 2 C6=2E:@?D9:A]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmt?86=36CE[ H9@ EFC?D ea \ud83d\ude15 }@G6&gt;36C[ E@=5 p! D96 92D 366? E9:?&lt;:?8 23@FE C6E:C:?8 7@C &gt;@?E9D]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u201c(96? x 7:CDE 42&gt;6 E@ E96 =628F6 x :?E6?565 E@ 5@ E9:D 7@C b `^a J62CD[\u201d D96 D2:5 \ud83d\ude15 2 A9@?6 :?E6CG:6H] \u201c%96 f `^a J62CD 6I466565 E92E E:&gt;6] %9:D \ud83d\ude00 2 C62==J 8@@5 E:&gt;6 8:G6? E96 7:?2?4:2= EC2?D7@C&gt;2E:@? ;@FC?6J H6\u2019G6 366? @?] v6EE:?8 E96 4@==64E:G6 32C82:?:?8 28C66&gt;6?E 5@?6[ 86EE:?8 2 =@?8\\E6C&gt; &gt;65:2 C:89ED 562= 5@?6[ 86EE:?8 6IA2?D:@? 5@?6]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm}qp r@&gt;&gt;:DD:@?6C p52&gt; $:=G6C AC2:D65 t?86=36CE \ud83d\ude15 E96 2??@F?46&gt;6?E]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u201cr2E9J 92D AC6D:565 @G6C E96 (}qp E9C@F89 E96 &gt;@DE D:8?:7:42?E A6C:@5 @7 8C@HE9 \ud83d\ude15 E96 =628F6\u2019D b_\\J62C 9:DE@CJ[Q 96 D2:5] Q(6 2C6 8C2E67F= 7@C r2E9J\u2019D =6256CD9:A 2?5 F?H2G6C:?8 4@&gt;&gt;:E&gt;6?E E@ E96 25G2?46&gt;6?E @7 H@&gt;6?\u2019D 32D&lt;6E32==]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n<p>k9amt?86=36CEi $6G6C2= F?:56?E:7:65 DF446DD@CD @? =628F6VD C252Ck^9am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%96 (}qp 4@&gt;&gt;:DD:@?6C D2:5 D96 92D 366? H@C&lt;:?8 @? 2 DF446DD:@? A=2? @G6C E96 =2DE 76H J62CD] (9:=6 D96 5:5?\u2019E 8:G6 2?J DA64:7:4D @? H9@ &gt;:89E 36 4@?D:56C65 7@C E96 A@D:E:@?[ t?86=36CE 5:5 D2J E96C6 2C6 3@E9 :?E6C?2= 2?5 6IE6C?2= A@E6?E:2= 42?5:52E6D @? E96 =628F6\u2019D C252C]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u201cxE\u2019D 2 8@@5 E:&gt;6 E@ 92?5 :E @77 E@ E96 ?6IE =6256C E@ E2&lt;6 E96 \u2018(\u2019 :?E@ 2 36EE6C A92D6[\u201d D96 D2:5] \u201cx\u2019&gt; AC@F5 @7 E96 E62&gt; H6 3F:=E 2?5 6G6CJE9:?8 H6 244@&gt;A=:D965] p =6256C @HD H96? :E\u2019D E:&gt;6 E@ 5C@A E96 &gt;:4 2?5 &gt;@G6 @? 27E6C 3F:=5:?8 2 A@H6C9@FD6 E62&gt; \ud83d\ude15 E96 =628F6 @77:46]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmt?86=36CE 25565 E92E D96 92D &gt;:I65 6&gt;@E:@?D 23@FE =62G:?8]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u201cx =@G6 H@&gt;6?VD 32D&lt;6E32== 2?5 2&gt; ?@E 8@:?8 2?JH96C6 J6E] (6V== CF? 2 C62= DF446DD:@? AC@46DD \ud83d\ude15 E96 C6&gt;2:?:?8 7@FC &gt;@?E9D] x7 H6 5@?VE 7:?5 D@&gt;6@?6 xV== DE2J @?[Q D96 D2:5] Qx 925 ?@ EC2?D:E:@?] x H2=&lt;65 \ud83d\ude15 E96 5@@C 2?5 x H2D 3J &gt;JD6=7 2D ?@ @?6 EC2?D:E:@?65 &gt;6 :?E@ E9:D C@=6]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u201cw@A67F==J x 42? 96=A E9:D ?6IE =6256C EC2?D:E:@? \ud83d\ude15 6DA64:2==J 4@?D:56C:?8 E96 6=6G2E:@? @7 E9:D =628F6]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%96 (}qp 92D 8C@H? 2E 2? 6IA@?6?E:2= C2E6 5FC:?8 t?86=36CE\u2019D E6?FC6 2D 4@&gt;&gt;:DD:@?6C[ H:E9 C64@C5 E6=6G:D:@? C2E:?8D[ DEC@?8 2EE6?52?46[ 2 ?6H =@?8\\E6C&gt; &gt;65:2 C:89ED 562= 2?5 6IA2?D:@? E@ `g E62&gt;D 3J E96 6?5 @7 E96 564256]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u201cx H2D 3C@F89E \ud83d\ude15 2D 2 3FD:?6DD =6256C E@ EC2?D7@C&gt; E96 3FD:?6DD[\u201d D96 D2:5] \u201cx =@@&lt; 2E C6G6?F6 2?5 &gt;6C492?5:D6[ G:6H6CD9:A 2?5 2EE6?52?46[\u201d D96 D2:5[ ?@E:?8 9@H E96JVG6 2== :&gt;AC@G65] \u201cp 8C62E =6256C D6?D6D H96? :E\u2019D E:&gt;6 7@C D@&gt;6@?6 6=D6 E@ 4@&gt;6 :?] (96? x 42&gt;6 :?[ E9:D =628F6 H2D 724:?8 BF6DE:@?D 23@FE @FC =@?8\\E6C&gt; G:23:=:EJ 2?5 DFDE2:?23:=:EJ]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size: 12px; color: #666; text-transform: uppercase\">Story continues below video<\/p>\n<p>k9am%FC&gt;@:= 2?5 E6?D:@? 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This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert is retiring at the end the year, bringing to a close her seven-plus years&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":883861,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[629],"tags":[49,48,47,1714,82,630],"class_list":["post-883860","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-wnba","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-national","tag-national_sports","tag-sports","tag-wnba"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/883860","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=883860"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/883860\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/883861"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=883860"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=883860"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=883860"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}