The WNBA changing the job title for new hire Cathy Engelbert from President to Commissioner is an "important and necessary step" for the league, according to Mechelle Voepel of ESPN.com. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said that the title change was to "signal the WNBA's major-league status." Previous top WNBA execs have had a "different title and not quite as much autonomy or authority as that position needs to be most impactful and move the league forward." That "doesn't mean Engelbert won't value the expertise" of Silver and others on the NBA side -- including Mark Tatum, who has been serving as interim WNBA President -- "especially as she transitions into the job." Tatum likely will still be "involved in the ongoing collective bargaining negotiations with the players' union." However, the players will "benefit from dealing with a commissioner they know is really in charge and who will come to the WNBA able to [hone] in on a more dynamic business model." That Engelbert "enters the league when it's in the midst of collective bargaining is fortuitous." Under the leadership of WNBPA Exec Dir Terri Jackson, the union has "gotten much greater engagement from the players than in the past." No one "expects that Jackson and Engelbert will agree on everything, but there's reason for optimism that they'll find considerable common ground in negotiating" (ESPN.com, 5/15).
BIG CHALLENGE AHEAD: In Philadelphia, John Smallwood notes Engelbert, who will start on July 17, "enters the league as it is about to go through its biggest and most contentious period in its 23-year history." The players are "seeking significantly higher salaries, better working conditions, and benefits from a league that says it cannot afford to increase its financial obligations in dramatic fashion." They also want to "significantly change the league’s financial structure, and the possibility of a work stoppage is already in the conversation." Engelbert will have to "square things quickly with women who have watched NBA salaries skyrocket, while they [are] making a small fraction by comparison" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 5/16).
COULD HELP WITH MARKETING: ESPN's Rachel Nichols said both WNBA players and the league office "would like the marketing" of the league to "take a step up to the next level." Noting Engelbert's tenure at Deloitte, Nichols said, "Someone who has that kind of business experience could be valuable to them" ("The Jump," ESPN, 5/15). Engelbert said there is a "real opportunity for visibility, to give the W the cool factor it deserves." Engelbert: "That’s going to put fans into the seats. The social aspect will be important. I have lots of ideas, and (current staff) have a variety of ideas, too. I need some time to get in and make sure I understand what works and doesn’t work" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 5/16).
