'Change is a must': WNBA owners, insiders on Cathy Engelbert, officiating, CBA

The WNBA Finals concluded past week with the crowning of a caller dynasty: The Las Vegas Aces took location their 3rd rubric successful 4 years. But the undercurrent of the bid -- and the full playoffs -- was 1 of precocious stakes and tension. And it mightiness intensify arsenic the league undergoes 1 of its astir challenging offseasons ever.

The WNBA has enjoyed tremendous maturation successful caller years, with attendance, ratings, concern and franchise valuations each reaching caller heights. But however each of that translates into lasting, transformational alteration is the question with which the league, its players and different stakeholders are grappling with.

The WNBA and WNBPA are amid negotiations for a caller corporate bargaining agreement, and the anticipation of a enactment stoppage looms. Cathy Engelbert's aboriginal arsenic commissioner is successful question aft Minnesota Lynx prima Napheesa Collier ripped WNBA enactment arsenic "the worst ... successful the world" successful an explosive exit interview. And each eyes volition beryllium connected however the league responds to large concerns implicit officiating aft it came to a caput successful the postseason.

ESPN surveyed an array of WNBA squad owners, executives, players and different manufacture sources connected what the turmoil of the past fewer weeks -- positive the impending CBA deadline connected Oct. 31. -- and what it each means arsenic the league enters arguably the astir important clip successful its history.

'Change is simply a must': Have WNBA owners mislaid religion successful Engelbert?

One of the lasting images of the WNBA play was Engelbert getting relentlessly booed by the assemblage astatine Phoenix's Mortgage Matchup Center during the Aces' title trophy presentation. A smaller radical of fans continued the ruckus arsenic she walked disconnected the tribunal and into a tunnel.

Could that beryllium the last clip we spot Engelbert serving arsenic WNBA commissioner?

"Once you person that benignant of warring with your champion players," 1 squad enforcement told ESPN, "it's a decease spiral."

Tensions brewed passim the WNBA play arsenic players and coaches expressed vexation with officiating and arsenic CBA negotiations intensified. But the speech shifted specifically toward Engelbert during the WNBA semifinals.

On Sept. 26, Minnesota manager Cheryl Reeve was ejected aft erupting astatine the referees implicit a non-call connected a play wherever Collier was injured. Reeve decried league officiating successful a scathing postgame code and was fined and suspended 1 game.

In her exit interrogation a fewer days aft the Lynx were eliminated, Collier denounced WNBA enactment and publicized parts of antecedently backstage conversations she had with Engelbert. Collier claimed Engelbert said Caitlin Clark "should beryllium grateful. She makes $16 cardinal disconnected the tribunal due to the fact that without the level that the WNBA gives her, she wouldn't marque anything" and that "players should beryllium connected their knees, thanking their fortunate stars for the media rights woody that I got them."

A swath of WNBA players publically backed Collier. In her code to reporters earlier Game 1 of the Finals connected Oct. 3, Engelbert said determination were "a batch of inaccuracies" successful comments attributed to her by Collier and denied saying the circumstantial connection regarding Clark. But Engelbert acknowledged, "If the players successful the W don't consciousness appreciated and valued by the league, past we person to bash better, and I person to bash better."

Still, the commissioner is chiefly tasked with representing the owners, not the players, amid negotiations specified arsenic the CBA talks. But aggregate squad owners told ESPN they are besides unhappy with Engelbert's leadership. "If I had a vote," 1 proprietor said, "I would astir apt inquire for a replacement." It seems improbable that immoderate large enactment alteration volition hap portion CBA negotiations continue, and Engelbert told reporters astatine the Finals she's "never been a quitter."

"If you occurrence her now, it's admitting weakness. It's a unspeakable look for the NBA," different proprietor said. "I can't basal what [Collier] did. That was a backstage conversation. It makes maine not privation to occurrence her, adjacent though I deliberation she should beryllium fired."

Frustration with Engelbert spans respective areas: That issues brought to the commissioner and league office, specified arsenic officiating, are often near unresolved; that immoderate of Engelbert's concern decisions -- specified arsenic the $75 cardinal superior rise successful 2022 that sold disconnected a 16% involvement successful the league -- mightiness person complicate...