The WNBA did not appreciate the two best weeks.
While the league is set up towards the playoffs and the action warming up, the WNBA commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, had her work cut between Sex toys thrown in the courts And Protesting players against their wages.
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During the WNBA 2025 stars match, the biggest league stars such as Caitlin Clark and Sabrina Ionescu protested against their wages by wearing black t-shirts that said: “Pay us what you need.”
Engelbert would have been hué inside the arena with the coming game in the middle of the negotiations between the League and the Union of WNBA players for a new collective agreement (CBA).
Wages of WNBA players have long been a subject of discussion, but in the middle of the recent historical growth of the League, stars like Angel Reese and Clark were not shy to criticize their current remuneration packages.
Reese made the headlines earlier this year when She admitted that her Chicago Sky salary does not even cover her rent.
However, while the League seeks to sail in its public image crisis, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert refused to criticize her stars.
What does Cathy Engelbert say about Caitlin Clark?
Speaking to Daily mailin its first public comments since WNBA ALL-STAR gameEngelbert praised the superstar Clark before issuing a clear warning.
“Caitlin is such a great player and a great person. We are so delighted to have him, and she was such a big representative of the League,” she said.
“It’s great that everyone is talking (WNBA),” added Engelbert. “(Caitlin) is really thought out, not only on its game, but also on the growth of women’s basketball and the culture of the WNBA fandom.”
Engelbert continues by explaining that even the NBA was not built around a player, and this includes the famous time of Michael Jordan.
“No league has never visited a player, even at the time (Larry) Bird -Magic (Johnson), the Michael Jordan era, the Kobe era (Bryant) -Shaq (O’Neal)”, insists Engelbert.
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“You have to build your league and market around all your players and your stars. And we have built familiar names.
She mentions A’ja Wilson, Brittney Griner and Diana Taurasi.
“You can never build it around one,” she adds.
Engelbert also explained the league’s ambition to make itself global and build fans bases in Europe, Asia and Africa.
“This year … It is a question of maintaining the tens of millions of new fans that we brought in the League last year, but to gain on this too,” she adds.
“I cannot insist enough: the quality of the product on the field is so important. And we are lucky to have the best players in the world.”
Any desire to continue to cultivate WNBA, which could include international games and expansion, will probably need remuneration problems to be resolved.
Clark’s agent made the headlines in February when she asked for that the fever guard could never be paid for what it is worth by the WNBAAnd that all the players of the League need more important contracts.
The 23 -year salary for this year is just over $ 78,000 for the 2025 season, the maximum that it can receive within the framework of its recruit contract.
Currently, Clark is out of service with an injury, A recurring theme for the superstar that had several spells on the sidelines.
The fever is fifth in the WNBA ranking as they seek to make the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
