Sept 4 (Reuters) – WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert will retire at the end of 2026 after seven years in the role, the league said on Friday.
Engelbert oversaw the league’s most substantial franchise expansion to date – from 12 to 18 teams by 2030 – and her work in negotiating media rights and collective bargaining agreements led to historic salary increases and benefits for WNBA players.
“I retire knowing we have built something bigger, stronger and more enduring than we could have imagined,” Engelbert said in a press release.
“I am grateful to the WNBA and NBA team owners and staff, players, investors, fans and the powerhouse league office staff, who believed in what this league could become.
“I retire with immense gratitude and tremendous optimism for the future of the WNBA, with the best yet to come.”
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in TorontoEditing by Christian Radnedge)
