Photo courtesy of the WNBA
“When I took this job not even two years ago, I knew the players had such a strong voice, but I think, in the last year, millions and millions of people know who they are (now) and what they stand for,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said by phone on Friday.
“I’m so impressed with the players and proud of them and we continue the important work.”
From sneakers and cosmetics to automobiles and more, players’ profiles are on the rise as they snatch up brand deals, and Engelbert is banking on this surge in popularity to steer a successful 2021 season. The players’ activism during the 2020 season of pandemic and social justice protest brought increased interest to the league that many never would have considered possible given the conditions.