The WNBA’s next commissioner will take over a league at a point the league has never seen before, with record viewership, expansion plans, and a new CBA.
The search for the next “thick-skinned” WNBA commissioner continues, as the outgoing WNBA commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, hopes to name her successor by year-end.

“Outgoing WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said today, following the league’s yearly competition committee meeting, that the search for a new commissioner is an “ongoing process.” She declined to specify how many prospects are being considered but said candidates are being interviewed. Asked whether she expects her replacement to be hired by Dec. 31, Engelbert said, ‘I hope so,'” read the post by ESPN’s Alexa Philippou on X on Thursday.

There is a major ongoing dilemma about how many candidates, as well as which candidates, are being considered for the position, and Engelbert did not elaborate on that front. A September report by ESPN outlines some of the major candidates who could step up to the box, and these include former WNBA champion Swin Cash, New York Liberty CEO Keia Clarke, WNBPA President Nneke Ogwumike, NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum, and other eminent names. But with Engelbert’s term coming to a close, the need for a standout candidate rises,

Engelbert announced her pending retirement in September, with her tenure officially concluding on Dec. 31. Also, Engelbert informed The Associated Press that she will remain in her role as commissioner until a successor is finalized, should the ongoing search extend beyond the 2026 calendar year.

While Engelbert has not given too many details about the search for the next commissioner, she did make an honest admission about the role and what it entails before Game 1 of the Finals in San Francisco.

“You have to have very thick skin,” Engelbert said. “And you have to have confidence that we can continue this growth trajectory and confidence in building relationships with players and agents, the board of governors, the owners and the stakeholders.”

Engelbert has also not provided many details about the candidates being considered or how many people are in the running. However, she mentioned that she is kept in the loop with periodic updates from Excel Search & Advisory, the firm that has been roped in to interview potential replacements.

“We have internal and external candidates,” Engelbert said last month. “The good news is there’s a lot of interest in the job, which I’m excited about. I think there’s a lot of different characteristics [that] I think we are all looking for. … I had candidates that I submitted; a lot of us did. And a lot of people have called. The good news is there’s people who really want to take on this role, which I think is great.”

While the search continues, Engelbert reflects on her time as the league’s first commissioner.

The WNBA Marked The “Most Meaningful” Time Of Cathy Engelbert’s Career

Engelbert became WNBA commissioner on July 17, 2019, ending a nine-month interim period led by NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum following Lisa Borders’ resignation. Engelbert told the AP in September that she intends to provide her successor with the transition assistance she lacked upon taking the position.

Engelbert’s appointment marked a structural shift, as she became the first leader designated as commissioner following the presidential tenures of Val Ackerman, Donna Orender, Laurel Richie, and Lisa Borders. In league history, only Ackerman’s administration from 1996 to 2005 exceeds Engelbert’s overall tenure.

After serving as Deloitte’s CEO since 2015, Engelbert stepped down with plans to spend three and a half years at the WNBA, though she has now been there for over seven years, a time she now fondly reflects on.

“I certainly never set out to become the commissioner of the WNBA. When I accepted this role in 2019, after more than three decades at Deloitte, I thought it would be a brief final chapter in a long career in business. Instead, it became seven and a half of the most meaningful, demanding, and rewarding years of my life,” said Engelbert on Oct. 17.

“I leave with enormous pride in what we accomplished together, profound gratitude for the opportunity to play a part in this league’s story, and complete confidence that the WNBA’s brightest days are still ahead.”

Engelbert’s successor will inherit a 15-team league, with an established expansion timeline already in place. The WNBA is slated to add franchises in Cleveland in 2028, Detroit in 2029, and Philadelphia in 2030.

The league is fresh off a record-breaking 2026 regular season that drew 90 million unique viewers across national networks. The league also shattered attendance benchmarks, welcoming 3.8 million total fans and averaging 11,474 per game.

Engelbert’s tenure as commissioner was defined by two major negotiations that included a new Collective Bargaining Agreement with the players and a $3.1 billion media rights deal. The 11-year broadcasting agreement with Amazon, Disney, and NBC generates $281 million in annual revenue for the league. Furthermore, the updated media structure facilitated the live broadcast and streaming of more than 200 games this season.

The onus on the person who takes Englebert’s role would be to continue this growth momentum.