WNBA commissioner optimistic about getting new CBA deal done
While the two sides are far apart right now after meeting for the first time in person on Thursday since December with more than 40 players in attendance, Engelbert has faith that a deal will get finished.
'I'm still really optimistic that we'll get something done that would be transformational,' she said before the All-Star Game on Saturday night. 'And that, next year at All-Star, we'll be talking about how great everything is. Obviously there's a lot of hard work to be done on both sides to get there.'
Engelbert said that more meetings are planned in the future. The current CBA will expire on Oct. 31 after the season is over.
'I have confidence we can get something done by October, but I'm not going to put an exact date on it,' she said. 'We've got some room to continue negotiations if we're close at that point.'
There's a lot of money coming into the league over the next few years with a new 11-year media rights deal worth over $2.2 billion, three new expansion teams that each paid $250 million in fees and many new sponsors.
The players top priorities are greatly increased salaries and a revenue sharing plan which Engelbert understands.
'We're going to do something transformational here because we we want the same things as the players, but we want to significantly increase their salary and benefits while balancing with our owners, their ability to have a path to profitability, as well as in to continued investment,' she said.
Other areas that Engelbert discussed included:
Globalization
Engelbert talked about trying to expand the footprint of the league around the world more. The league will welcome its first team outside the U.S. next year with the addition of the Toronto Tempo. Engelbert mentioned Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa as places that could have huge interest in the WNBA.
'I think we're really strong domestically now … There's a huge amount of possibilities, to turn these players into a global household being stars that they've now become here in the United States domestically,' she said.
Officiating
The consistency of officiating has been a topic that players and coaches have been discussing a lot this season and Engelbert said that the league is aware and will evaluate it.
'I realize consistency is the name of the game and I think it's something we definitely need to look at and evaluate. There's an independent evaluation of our officials and there are ramifications. It's something we need to continue to work on. As our game evolves so does our officiating, so we're on it.'
Scheduling
Engelbert said that the league would look at possibly expanding the length of the season in the future on the backend of the season. The WNBA can't really start any earlier because of the NCAA Tournament, but could go into early November. There's a good shot that will happen next year with the FIBA World Cup taking place in early September.
'We're looking about what's the best footprint, what's the best number of games?' she said.
___
AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Vancouver Sun
17 minutes ago
- Vancouver Sun
MLS says B.C. Place 'unsustainable' for Whitecaps
'We get 17 days where we can play our games, and that's it.' Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber laid it all out, again, that the Vancouver Whitecaps' stadium situation at B.C. Place , as currently set up, is untenable. They need a new arrangement, he said Wednesday at the MLS All-Star Game in Texas. Think about last fall, when the Whitecaps had to play a home playoff game not at home because B.C. Place was pre-booked for a massive motocross show . In speaking with reporters, Garber told Vancouver-based freelance soccer reporter Har Johal that he'd received some updates from the team in recent days. Pressed by Johal, Garber was unequivocal. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'The update is we've got to get a new stadium situation for the Whitecaps,' he said. 'We have no plans to move the Vancouver Whitecaps,' he added. 'But right now they don't have a viable stadium situation.' Cue the ominous music, though Garber did seem to want to temper speculation some by also saying: 'Not our first rodeo. We'll figure that out. We'll be able to get the stadium, I hope, and we're working hard at it.' Hence the conversations the team has had with the City of Vancouver about redeveloping land at the PNE where Hastings Racecourse currently sits. But such a transaction wouldn't be straightforward: the land in question is managed by the city as part of a trust from the province and legislation around the trust grants the city power to manage the park in line with its long-standing uses. Would switching the racecourse property over to a sports stadium fit with its long-standing uses? There's long been a movement to make the park more like a park , especially if amenities currently extant in the park were to close. In other words, if the racetrack is going to close, that land should become green. The horse-racing lease is up next May. Most assume its days are done. The Tsleil-Waututh Nation have signed a deal to take over the connected casino licence, but not the horse-racing operations. They have acknowledged that they want a seat at the table should the Whitecaps talks about moving in get serious. But it's also not clear there can be a casino without a horse-racing operation. The folks that run the actual horses at the track insist the licences are tied together, that they can't legally be separated. It's also been understood that a new stadium, purpose-built for soccer, would aid the Whitecaps in their pursuit of new ownership. Last December the team announced that the current ownership group, led by Greg Kerfoot, was putting the team up for sale and had hired Goldman Sachs to aid in their search for new investors. But other than a few whispers a few months ago about conversations with local Indigenous groups, the news around a sale remains very quiet. More to come … pjohnston@
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Arizona's Burke, Arizona State's Miller enter rivalry with mutual respect
As new coaches at opposite ends of a rivalry, Arizona State's Molly Miller and Arizona's Becky Burke could easily hold animosity toward the other. Far from it. Both coaches admire the way the other has worked through the coaching ranks, winning at every stop, and how their infectious enthusiasm seeps onto the floor through their players. They also have a common connection: Stephanie Norman. The current associate head coach on Miller's inaugural staff was once at Louisville, where she coached Burke as an assistant under Jeff Walz. 'She's funny because coach Norman is like, Becky is kind of like my boss in a way, being a head coach,'' Miller said. 'She's (Burke) really competitive and comes from a great program in Louisville. It'll be fine because I have a lot of respect for how she's kind of climbed and been there.' Arizona and Arizona State have new women's basketball coaches for the first time — outside of the programs' first season in 1981 — since the Wildcats hired June Olkowski and Maura McHugh took over the Sun Devils in 1987. Miller and Burke have the same goal — winning — yet will come at it from different starting points. Burke takes over an Arizona program that's on firm standing, earning trips to the NCAA Tournament four of the past five years under previous coach Adia Barnes, including a run to the 2021 national championship game. When Barnes left for SMU during the offseason, Arizona turned to Burke and her resume full of winning. She played in the NCAA Tournament three times as a sharpshooting guard, reaching the 2009 national title game and the Sweet 16 two years later. After stints as an assistant coach, Burke had winning records as a head coach at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona, the University of Charleston in West Virginia and USC Upstate. Burke spent the past three seasons at Buffalo, leading the Bulls to a 30-win season and a WNIT title last year. The transfer portal era wreaked havoc on Arizona's roster — Montaya Dew is the only returner on scholarship — but Burke has a foundation in place with recent successes and strong fan support in Tucson. 'The momentum in the brand and the fact that she (Barnes) did a great job building this is extremely helpful, but ultimately we're starting from scratch,' Burke said. 'We walk into a locker room that has one player and it doesn't help you in the moment, but it's nice to say on recruiting calls that you coach at Arizona and they know what it is and what it's about.' Miller's task will be to rebuild a brand at Arizona State that's struggled to regain relevancy since the end of longtime coach Charli Turner Thorne's tenure. The Sun Devils have not been to the NCAA Tournament since reaching the Sweet 16 in 2019 and went 29-62 in three seasons under Natasha Adair after Turner Thorne's retirement in 2022. Like Burke, Miller brings a history of winning with her. Miller was one of the top scorers in Drury University history as a player and spent two seasons as an assistant following a stint at a neurological and spine institute in her hometown of Springfield, Missouri. She became the head coach at her alma mater in 2014 and won 180 games over six seasons before becoming Grand Canyon's coach. Miller led the Antelopes to a 32-3 record last season, including a 30-game winning streak, and took the program to its first NCAA Tournament. She went 117-38 at GCU before moving across town to Arizona State. 'I think with any good program to have a quick turnaround, you have to have buy-in,' Miller said. 'That's the biggest piece and I think we've gotten our teams to buy in pretty quickly the last few years.' Burke has done the same everywhere she's been. Now the two coaches will try doing it on opposite ends of a rivalry. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women's college basketball: and
The Province
an hour ago
- The Province
MLS says B.C. Place 'unsustainable' for Whitecaps
MLS commissioner Don Garber has opened the door to moving the team if the Whitecaps don't get a better stadium situation. Get the latest from Patrick Johnston straight to your inbox MLS commissioner Don Garber has opened the door to moving the team if the Whitecaps don't get a better stadium situation. Photo by Jeff Vinnick / Getty Images Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. 'We get 17 days where we can play our games, and that's it.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber laid it all out, again, that the Vancouver Whitecaps' stadium situation at B.C. Place, as currently set up, is untenable. They need a new arrangement, he said Wednesday at the MLS All-Star Game in Texas. Think about last fall, when the Whitecaps had to play a home playoff game not at home because B.C. Place was pre-booked for a massive motocross show. In speaking with reporters, Garber told Vancouver-based freelance soccer reporter Har Johal that he'd received some updates from the team in recent days. Pressed by Johal, Garber was unequivocal. 'The update is we've got to get a new stadium situation for the Whitecaps,' he said. 'We have no plans to move the Vancouver Whitecaps,' he added. 'But right now they don't have a viable stadium situation.' Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Cue the ominous music, though Garber did seem to want to temper speculation some by also saying: 'Not our first rodeo. We'll figure that out. We'll be able to get the stadium, I hope, and we're working hard at it.' Hence the conversations the team has had with the City of Vancouver about redeveloping land at the PNE where Hastings Racecourse currently sits. But such a transaction wouldn't be straightforward: the land in question is managed by the city as part of a trust from the province and legislation around the trust grants the city power to manage the park in line with its long-standing uses. Would switching the racecourse property over to a sports stadium fit with its long-standing uses? There's long been a movement to make the park more like a park, especially if amenities currently extant in the park were to close. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In other words, if the racetrack is going to close, that land should become green. The horse-racing lease is up next May. Most assume its days are done. The Tsleil-Waututh Nation have signed a deal to take over the connected casino licence, but not the horse-racing operations. They have acknowledged that they want a seat at the table should the Whitecaps talks about moving in get serious. But it's also not clear there can be a casino without a horse-racing operation. The folks that run the actual horses at the track insist the licences are tied together, that they can't legally be separated. It's also been understood that a new stadium, purpose-built for soccer, would aid the Whitecaps in their pursuit of new ownership. Last December the team announced that the current ownership group, led by Greg Kerfoot, was putting the team up for sale and had hired Goldman Sachs to aid in their search for new investors. But other than a few whispers a few months ago about conversations with local Indigenous groups, the news around a sale remains very quiet. More to come … pjohnston@ Read More Vancouver Canucks Soccer News Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks
