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The WNBA has found itself dealing with an unprecedented amount of attention this year thanks to the ascension of Caitlin Clark, and commissioner Cathy Engelbert had to go out of her way to clarify her stance on some of The Discourse surrounding the league on social media after she was roundly criticized for the stance she shared earlier this week.
The WNBA headed into its 24th season reaping the benefits of a couple of high-profile additions in the form of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, and it’s wisely leaned into the drama of that rookie rivalry as the rest of the league gets a boost from the increased visibility stemming from the arrival of those rising stars.
However, that newfound popularity hasn’t been without its downsides.
The tribal nature of sports fandom has a tendency to breed toxic and vitriolic conversations on social media, and the WNBA hasn’t been immune to that reality thanks to a small but nonetheless significant number of Clark loyalists who’ve waged a disturbing war against Reese as well as plenty of other people who resort to bigotry to stir the pot while hiding behind an anonymous account.
On Monday, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert had the chance to address that “darker” and “menacing” side of the internet during an appearance on CNBC where she said she advised players to not put too much stake into what people are saying on social media but declined to directly address the kind of comments that turn it into a cesspool while implying the drama that inspires them are good for the league as a whole.
Unfortunately, a number of notable names felt those comments left a lot to be desired.
The executive director of the WNBPA released a statement calling out Engelbert for failing to explicitly decry the “racism, misogyny, and harassment” players are subjected to, and Alysha Clark, Brenna Stewart, Brianna Turner, and Michaela Onyenwere all shared similar sentiments while responding to her comments.
It didn’t take Engelbert very long to acknowledge the backlash, as she hopped on Twitter on Tuesday night to share what she probably should have said in the first place in an attempt to assuage those critics.
During a recent media interview, I was asked about the dark side of social media and online conversation about WNBA rivalries and race. To be clear, there is absolutely no place for hate or racism of any kind in the WNBA or anywhere else.
— Cathy Engelbert (@CathyEngelbert) September 11, 2024
That should settle that.