WNBA players criticize commissioner for downplaying social media vitriol

The WNBA players union and several players are calling out commissioner Kathy Engelbert for not taking a stronger stand against racism and hate speech many have experienced this season, especially on social media.

The issue has become more acute with the arrival of rookies Caitlin Clark, who is white and Angel Reese, who is Black – with a number of fans and commenters taking sides along racial lines.

In an interview Monday on CNBC, Engelbert was asked by host Tyler Mathisen about the “darker … more menacing” tone of the social media discussion.

Engelbert’s answer focused more on the additional visibility the two rookies have given the WNBA.

“The one thing I know about sports, you need rivalry,” Engelbert said. “That’s what makes people watch. They want to watch games of consequence between rivals. They don’t want everybody being nice to one another.”

Women’s National Basketball Players Association executive director Terri Jackson criticized the commissioner for not taking on the topics of racism, misogyny and harassment more forcefully.

“This is not about rivalries or iconic personalities fueling a business model,” Jackson said in a statement issued Tuesday night. “This kind of toxic fandom should never be tolerated or left unchecked. It demands immediate action, and frankly, should have been addressed long ago.”

Engelbert did clarify her comments in a social media post later Tuesday. “To be clear, there is absolutely no place for hate or racism of any kind in the WNBA or anywhere else,” she posted on X.

Before that, however, several WNBA players voiced disappointment with the commissioner’s earlier remarks.

“It’s pretty clear, there’s a difference between rivalries and racism,” Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum said, according to ESPN.

“It’s taken a darker turn in terms of the types of comments and the vitriol that’s coming through to the players, and it’s not OK,” Aces forward Alysha Clark said. “I wish (Engelbert) would have just said that. ‘It’s not OK.'”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: WNBA commissioner faces backlash for downplaying racism, hate speech