It’s uncommon in skilled sports activities to see a star publicly excoriate league management. Final week, the Minnesota Lynx ahead Napheesa Collier delivered a savage takedown of commissioner Cathy Engelbert, saying the game had “the worst management on the planet” and accusing Engelbert of jeopardizing participant security by failing to deal with issues with poor officiating.
“The true risk to our league isn’t cash,” Collier mentioned. “It isn’t scores and even missed calls and even bodily play. It’s the dearth of accountability from the league workplace.”
Collier’s blunt evaluation—in an announcement she learn earlier than reporters—comes at an inflection level for the league. Scores proceed to climb, constructing off the explosion in reputation that started final season with the arrival of the rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. Franchise valuations have skyrocketed, and the league is including 5 extra groups by 2030. Final 12 months, the league introduced a media-rights deal that’s reportedly value billions. However the relationship between the gamers and their commissioner couldn’t be worse.
Greater than ever, the gamers know their value—and so they haven’t been shy about letting the league understand it. Earlier than the WNBA All-Star Sport, the gamers wore T-shirts that learn Pay Us What You Owe Us in reference to their ongoing labor negotiations. The present settlement expires on the finish of October, and gamers have been demanding increased salaries and a higher share of league income (they at the moment earn lower than 7 %, in contrast with the roughly 50 % that NBA gamers obtain).
In her speech, Collier shared the main points of a non-public dialog she mentioned she had with Engelbert throughout the offseason. Based on Collier, when she requested Engelbert how she deliberate to rectify the truth that younger sensations akin to Clark, Reese, and Paige Bueckers make small salaries regardless of driving league income, Engelbert mentioned that Clark needs to be “grateful” that the WNBA platform has allowed her to make hundreds of thousands off the court docket, in promoting and endorsements—although Clark had an enormous following as a school star and signed a cope with Nike value a reported $28 million earlier than she ever performed a WNBA sport. In the identical dialog, Collier mentioned Engelbert instructed her: “Gamers needs to be on their knees, thanking their fortunate stars for the media-rights deal that I acquired them.”
“That’s the mentality driving our league from the highest,” Collier mentioned on the press convention. “The league believes it succeeds regardless of its gamers, not due to them.”
In a short assertion, Engelbert mentioned that she was “disheartened” by how Collier characterised their conversations and league management, and that she is dedicated to making sure the WNBA’s “vibrant future.” She later denied saying that Clark needs to be “grateful” for the league, and mentioned she was establishing a job power to judge officiating the place gamers could be invited to precise their issues.
Collier’s candid remarks made clear simply how a lot the player-league relationship has soured lately. The gamers, some now family names because of the expansion of the league (and the success of a brand new three-on-three league that Collier herself co-founded), maintain extra energy. So far as they’re involved, the league needs to be grateful to them for remaining dedicated to its success, even because it treats their well-being as an afterthought.
Gamers throughout the league voiced their assist for Collier, together with Clark. “I believe what folks want to know: We want nice management on this time, throughout all ranges,” she mentioned. “That is straight up a very powerful second on this league’s historical past. This league’s been round 25-plus years, and it is a second we have now to capitalize on. Phee mentioned all of it with what she mentioned, and I believe the factors she made have been very legitimate.”
Many noticed Engelbert’s weak response as emblematic of how she has dealt with issues from gamers and followers of the game extra broadly. Final September, Engelbert was requested how the league deliberate to deal with racist feedback and abuse leveled by followers invested within the rivalry between Reese (who’s Black) and Clark (who’s white). “The one factor I find out about sports activities: You want rivalry. That’s what makes folks watch,” Engelbert mentioned. “They don’t need everyone being good to at least one one other.” (Engelbert later apologized, saying that her assertion had “missed the mark” and that there is no such thing as a place for hate within the WNBA.)
League management has lengthy been criticized for ignoring complaints that poor refereeing has led to increasingly aggression on court docket and gamers being injured in consequence. Collier’s personal season ended along with her in a boot after she collided with a Mercury participant over the last minute of a semifinal sport, tearing ligaments in her ankle. Her coach, Cheryl Reeve, needed to be bodily restrained from confronting the officers on the court docket when they didn’t name a foul. In a postgame press convention, Reeve blasted the league for poor officiating throughout the board—and was slapped with a one-game suspension and $15,000 high-quality in return. Collier mentioned that when she introduced up issues about officiating to Engelbert months in the past, the commissioner had responded: “Solely the losers complain concerning the refs.”
Collier’s assertion was a warning: “For too lengthy, I’ve tried to have these conversations in personal,” she mentioned. “The league has made it clear it isn’t about innovation. It isn’t about collaboration. It’s about management and energy.”
In some ways, Collier was the perfect individual to ship this message. Not simply because she’s a vp of the WNBA Gamers Affiliation, a five-time All-Star, and probably the most revered voices within the league. However as a result of she has proved that it’s doable to pay ladies what they’re value and produce an outstanding basketball product. This January, she launched Unequalled, a smaller league that runs within the offseason and is already valued at $340 million. The common participant wage was $220,000, in contrast with about $120,000 within the WNBA. Having seen what’s doable—a gamers’ league with correct pay, cutting-edge amenities, and on-site little one care—the WNBA’s stars are now not prepared to tolerate something much less.
*Sources: Brian Fluharty / Getty; David Sherman / NBAE / Getty; Geoff Stellfox / Getty.
