WNBA Commissioner Called Out by Fans After Latest Caitlin Clark Statement

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert recently drew the ire of fans and pundits alike after she, in her own words, "didn't express, in a clear and definitive way, condemnation of the hateful speech that is all too often directed at WNBA players on social media." This is after the league's head honcho pretty much said in an interview that the rivalry between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese is good for business .

Engelbert was forced to issue an apology to the players for her misstep as she admitted her inability to take a firm stance against hate speech, particularly from the fans on social media.

At this point, the commissioner is on the receiving end of even more criticism after a recent statement about Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark. In a recent interview on "60 Minutes," Engelbert acknowledged how the rookie sensation is "clearly an unbelievable player" who "came with an unbelievable following."

In the same breath, Engelbert heaped praise on Angel Reese and fellow rookies Rickea Jackson and Cameron Brink. This led to the host asking Engelbert why she tends to bring up other rookies whenever she's asked about Clark.

The high-ranking league executive was brutally honest in her response.

"No league's ever about one player," Engelbert said. "That player could get hurt or whatever.

"So I think it's just to give recognition that in sports, people watch for compelling content rivalries, and you can't do that alone as one person."

While there may be some truth to what Engelbert said, the fans on X, formerly Twitter, were not pleased with how she responded to the question about Clark.

As always, they made their feelings known about it.

"You need so call out people intentionally trying to hurt her. We all saw it. The world is watch this disgusting display," a comment read.

"Wrong. It is about one person. If Angel didn’t come to the league, it would still be like this with Caitlin. If Caitlin didn’t come to the league, none of this would be happening," stated another.

"We understand what she’s trying to create & sell. Reality is that Clark brought the avalanche of viewers and she needs to let refs know they need to protect their cash cow," said a viewer.

"She’s wrong! Look at the viewership and sold out arenas ONLY from Caitlin Clark. I have difficulty watching or supporting someone who’s so one-sided as the commissioner. She’s making herself look bad!" commented another.

"Cathy needs to be let go. She’s trying to create nasty rivalries to get viewers rather than focusing on good playing. She is not equipped to handle the league’s growth," surmised a user.

It's safe to say that a lot of the supporters do not agree with Engelbert and her most recent declaration about Clark. At this point, it's as if the commissioner can do no right by the fans.

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