WNBPA calls out Cathy Engelbert for interview answer about social media attacks on players

WNBPA Executive Director Terri Jackson said social media harassment "demands immediate action"

By Jack Maloney Sep 11, 2024 at 12:30 am ET• 3 min read

The Women's National Basketball Players Association, through executive director Terri Jackson, issued a statement on Tuesday regarding an answer commissioner Cathy Engelbert gave during an interview with CNBC's "Power Lunch" earlier in the day. 

Engelbert was asked about the rise in racist and homophobic comments toward players on social media, particularly in regards to the rivalry between star rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. Or, at least, the rivalry between their supporters online. 

Here is Engelbert's answer in full:

One thing that's great about the league right now, we do sit at the intersection of culture and sports and fashion and music. WNBA players are really looked at now as cultural icons. When you have that, you have a lot of attention on you. 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. So we have that moment with these two. 

But the one thing I know about sports, you need rivalries. That's what makes people watch. They want to watch games of consequence between games of rivals. They don't want everybody being nice to one another. 

Social media is different today than it was in 1979, when it didn't exist. I always tell the players, I was told a long time ago if someone's typing something in and you wouldn't ask their advice, ignore it. It's a balance. But certainly from marketing dollars, corporate partners are stepping up to endorse these players much more so than they were five years ago, because they see the benefit of having women and diverse women representing their brand. 

Engelbert faced immediate criticism for failing to stand up for the players and instead focusing on the attention and money that Clark and Reese are bringing to the league. By the evening the WNBPA had weighed in on the situation. Here is Jackson's statement in full: