That Alyssa Thomas no-call snapped something in Napheesa Collier. That injury turned out to the the trigger for her extensive attack on WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert. But it was never only about any one topic, the exit interview was the result of all the built-up bruises from the CBA meetings, fights with the referees. Considering what she revealed regarding her conversations with the commissioner, I am surprised it didn’t come sooner. “‘Players should be on their knees, thanking their lucky stars for the media rights deal that I got them.’” Engelbert allegedly told Collier in the winter.
Ironically, the media rights deal Engelbert is so quick to take credit for isn’t even a good one, according to CBS Sports reporter Alicia Jay. “She’s not the only one who got that (the media rights deal) number one. So I don’t even like the way that is phrased. But also number two, when you look at the valuations of teams and attendance, the money that is being made, etc., it actually was a low deal if you really want to get technical with it. So, did you put the WNBA in the right position in the first place?” Jay asked on the ‘We Need To Talk’ Podcast. Let’s do some napkin math, shall we, and compare the WNBA’s new media rights deal.
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This gives us a cursory look at how the WNBA compares to its big brother, the NBA. As expected, the value of the media rights deal is far greater with the NBA, but the crux is in the ratios. The investors of franchises across the league are valuing the league and its potential growth far greater than what their media rights deal is compared to the NBA. The NBA numbers are actually decreasing after being flat for a couple of years, and still, Adam Silver negotiated a deal last year that was 165% of the previous one.
The WNBA broadcasters are paying much less for the audience as compared to the NBA (viewers per $1). All this is from a season, majorly without Caitlin Clark, the league’s premier crowd puller. The future growth opportunities look immense, and since it’s an 11-year deal, we will have to wait and see how it ages with time.
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Yes, there is a star mark to this direct comparison, as the NBA sells far more game windows and shoulder content than the WNBA, so per-game economics and price per hour of live content vary widely. Other factors like ad CPMs, sponsorship integrations, shoulder programming, and subscriber acquisition benefits also matter when agreeing to a final number.
And some of that data isn’t publicly available, so weighing them isn’t possible. In Engelbert’s defense, she has other problems to contend with that the NBA doesn’t: the shared arenas, restricted schedule timeline, and she is trying to expand regardless. But if she is taking the credit, everything comes under the microscope.
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This comparison does provide us with a much-needed snapshot of how the deal stands with the NBA and whether they could have gotten more. By these numbers, the WNBA’s deal is looking undervalued as compared to the NBA. So there is a reason why so many people are calling for Cathy Engelbert’s immediate exit. A report from Sports Business Journal’s Tom Friend suggests that Engelbert might soon be leaving her post.
Multiple sources told Friend that Engelbert would likely exit her role of commissioner after the WNBA CBA negotiations end “due to pressure inside NBA and WNBA circles.” A WNBA official did call it “categorically false,” but that did not have much impact on the fans. Even Stephen A Smith asked Engelbert to hand in her pink slip. “At the end of the day, you have a star player in the league saying the commissioner, this individual, is in the way of all of us. And that was her statement. I believe she should hand in her resignation.” He said on First Take. Amid all this, Engelbert is nowhere to be seen, but she will directly face the media soon.
Cathy Engelbert Needs To Give Clarity Soon
Throughout Cathy Engelbert’s tenure, her communication with the players, the fans, and the media has been constantly under fire. In the CBA negotiations, the two parties are farther than where they were a couple of months ago because the league and the WNBPA differ on fundamentals.
In the Sports Business Journal report that has predicted Engelbert’s exit, “She hasn’t connected; she’s not a relationship builder, which you have to be in that job with the teams, with the players,” a source for the story reportedly told SBJ regarding the commissioner. “I think she’s a wicked smart business person, and the success she gets a lot of credit for. But a commissioner has to have a personality element that can touch every constituent that they have. I think she’s just lacking in it.”
Even after Collier’s explosive statement, Engelbert only sent a corporate-worded reply from the league’s communications office rather than facing the music herself. Engelbert responded to Collier in a statement not long after the media session, saying she was disheartened by “how Napheesa characterized our conversations,” but was committed to her job and “will not waver.” However, she is set to appear in front of the media soon.
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