Cathy Engelbert (Image Credits: ESPN)
The WNBA Finals on Friday night for real got messy in the stands. While the Las Vegas Aces celebrated their third championship in four seasons with a Game 4 win over the Phoenix Mercury, commissioner Cathy Engelbert got the brunt of the crowd’s frustration.

Fans booed, and some reportedly even flipped her off. Stuff got so out of hand that ESPN had to cut to a grey screen multiple times during the post-game presentation, ESPN reporter Sarah Spain confirmed on X.

“ESPN had to blur/grey the screen multiple times during commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s remarks because of a fan in the crowd flipping double birds at her,” Spain wrote.

Engelbert, though, came to grips with players, too. Last week, Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier darned her leadership. Collier allegedly claimed Engelbert suggested Caitlin Clark owed the WNBA for giving her endorsement opportunities. However, the 60-year-old denied these comments.

“Caitlin has been a transformational player in this league. She’s been a great representative of the game,” Engelbert said, defending her record and impact.

The American administrator and businesswoman acknowledged the issues, even stressing that repairs are needed in player relationships ahead of the league’s labor deal expiration on October 31. She confirmed ongoing talks with the players’ union and said the league is reviewing officiating via a new ‘state of the game’ committee.

Salary increases and long-term growth are shared priorities, she added. Before Game 1 of the Finals, Cathy Engelbert alluded:

“I was disheartened to hear that some players feel the league and that I personally do not care about them or listen to them. If the players in the `W’ don’t feel appreciated…we have to do better and I have to do better.”

Engelbert plans to stay as commissioner after the new CBA. She’s looking to balance player satisfaction with the league’s record growth, including six expansion teams and a $2.2 billion media rights deal.

Kelsey Plum Calls for Unity as WNBA Player Frustrations with Cathy Engelbert Boil Over

Kelsey Plum (Photo Via Instagram/@kelseyplum10)

Los Angeles Sparks’ Kelsey Plum has officially weighed in on the growing tension between WNBA players and commissioner Cathy Engelbert. On October 9, ESPN’s Katie Barnes reported that Plum addressed the ongoing rift post Napheesa Collier’s criticism of Engelbert’s leadership.

“It’s not just what she says but how she says it,” Plum said, pointing to the tone of Engelbert’s communication with players.

Plum also added that the frustration isn’t one-sided and called for unity moving forward.

“We can all win this, and that frustration has been boiling. This isn’t [Cathy] or [the Players Association], it’s both of us winning and upping our levels.”

Her comments echo what plenty of players have been saying lately, showing just how tense things have gotten between the league and its stars with that October 31 CBA deadline creeping up.