Meet the New WNBA: How One Woman is Changing the Game
We are pleased to present this month’s episode of Leadership Reimagined, featuring Cathy Engelbert, Commissioner of the WNBA. Join us as Cathy returns and shares the strides the WNBA has made over the past four years and the three pillars she established to guide decision-making: players first, stakeholder success, and fan engagement.
Cathy says: “We are witnessing the confluence of momentum, a moment we’ve never seen before with women’s sports, with the WNBA right at the center.” The progress made is astounding. Consider some of these stats: media coverage increased from 4% to 15%; over 400,000 fans attended WBNA games since the start of the season in May 2024; more than ½ of the games a sellout—a 156% increase over 2023; 1.32 million viewers tune into each game; in the past, 80 of the 200 plus games were on national platforms, and today it is 200 of 240 games, all of them on digital with streaming.
In July 2019, Cathy Engelbert was named the first-ever Commissioner of the WNBA. Prior to the WNBA, Cathy retired as the CEO of Deloitte in June 2019 after 33 years with the firm. Elected as Deloitte CEO in 2015, she was the first woman CEO in the history of a Big Four professional services firm. Cathy is a member of the Board of Directors of McDonald’s Corporation, Royalty Pharma, and the USGA Executive Committee. She also serves as the Vice Chair of the Partnership for New York City and is a member of the Business Council, Council on Foreign Relations, and Catalyst, a global non-profit organization that promotes inclusive workplaces for women. Cathy has been listed as one of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women for four consecutive years, was ranked on Glassdoor’s annual Employees’ Choice Awards honoring the 100 Highest Rated CEOs, and is one of Fast Company magazine’s Most Productive People. In 2021, Cathy was listed on the Forbes’ ’50 Over 50′ list and Adweeks ’40 Women to Watch’.
Please enjoy this episode of Leadership Reimagined featuring Cathy Engelbert, Commissioner of the WNBA!