As the WNBA prepared to host its first virtual draft Friday, commissioner Cathy Engelbert noted there’s still a lot of uncertainty surrounding the upcoming season due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Engelbert doesn’t know when training camps could open, how a season would be played or how the economic crisis could affect the league.
But there is one thing she’s certain: Sports will not be the same as they were before whenever they return.
Speaking to the media on a conference call before the draft, Engelbert addressed some of the biggest questions surrounding the WNBA.
Engelbert made it clear it’s her intention “to have a season when it is medically advisable and feasible.
“We’re going to try to get a semblance of a season in this summer into the fall,” she said.
What that might look like, though, has yet to be determined.
Engelbert said the situation remains fluid, but playing without fans or hosting games in a neutral site that has had limited exposure to the virus are all viable options.
“We’re not taking any options off the table,” Engelbert said, “and we’re doing a lot of analysis.”
The WNBA has flexibility in its schedule as the league carved out a monthlong break from July 11 to Aug. 13 for the Tokyo Olympics, which now have been postponed until 2021. Still, there’s the potential for the season to go well into the fall.
If that’s the case, the WNBA could find itself competing against more established leagues, such as the NBA, Major League Baseball and the NHL, for fan attention.
“I’m looking at it as an opportunity, not a challenge,” Engelbert said.
Nine of the 12 WNBA teams are in the same city as an NBA team, but only six of those teams share ownership with their male counterparts. Engelbert believes there’s an opportunity there for NBA/WNBA doubleheaders and have crossover coverage during broadcasts. She also said the league has considered playing games in big basketball college markets.
The WNBA, entering its 24th season, had tons of momentum heading into this season after a busy offseason that included the signing of a historic collective-bargaining agreement.
But all that momentum has simmered due to this unprecedented shutdown. When the country does open back up again — and sports resumes — the WNBA will have to work to not lose the progress they made over the last few seasons.
That brings into a larger question of the league’s viability. It’s no secret the WNBA has struggled since its inception. In 2018, interim WNBA president Mark Tatum said the WNBA suffered a $12 million loss.
That’s why making the league financially stable has been a top priority for Engelbert. In her nine months in charge, Engelbert has set up several new revenue streams by securing corporate sponsorships and launching the WNBA “Changemakers Partnership Platform.”
Engelbert recognizes the nation’s economic crisis has impacted some of the league’s franchise owners. But the former Deloitte CEO believes her background in business — specifically in scenario planning for economic downturns — has helped her handle this plight.
“Some would say women’s sports are already at a bit of a disadvantage,” Engelbert said. “We had a lot of momentum coming into this year which is why I still have a level of optimism, but this is a business.
“We’re going to help our team owners and our teams and many of which are experiencing significant disruption as a result of the crisis — nothing to do with the basketball operations of their ownership. And so, I think what’s important there is we’re staying on top of it.”
