WNBA Commissioner Faces Backlash Over Controversial \$325 Million Team Sale Cathy Engelbert (Photo By Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
If the WNBA had a drama league, this story would headline it.

Boston Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca struck a deal to buy the Connecticut Sun for a staggering $325 million. The Mohegan Tribe, the franchise’s current owners, signed off on the deal.

The sale would break every WNBA franchise sale record. Pagliuca even planned to relocate the team to TD Garden. Everything looked set. One problem: the league hasn’t moved an inch.

According to Front Office Sports, Pagliuca and the Tribe reached an agreement in July. But WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert hasn’t brought the offer to the board of governors. And now, she’s catching severe heat for it.

WNBA Fans Rage, Questions Still Unanswered

Boston Celtics owner Steve Pagliuca (Photo By Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)
On social media, the backlash came fast and furious.

“Wait a minute… the deal has been done for a MONTH and Cathy has sandbagged it by not presenting the deal to the board? That is fu***d,” one fan ranted on X.

Another added, “This woman is completely incapable of doing what needs to be done. She’s out of her league!”

The fans aren’t just angry—they’re suspicious. Some believe Engelbert may be holding out for a bigger payday from Boston, not Pagliuca. If the WNBA creates an expansion team for the city, the league pockets up to $250 million in direct fees. A private sale? Not much goes into the WNBA’s bank.

While this theory remains speculation, the silence from the league office isn’t helping. Even more, insiders say the relocation doesn’t classify as expansion, so treating it like one could cause legal friction. One fan summed up the mood: “Cathy out for self she needs to be replace.”

Meanwhile, Pagliuca waits. The Mohegan Tribe waits. Boston waits.

For now, the ball sits squarely in Engelbert’s court.

She has not issued a formal statement yet. But with pressure mounting and eyes on the WNBA’s next move, fans aren’t backing down. After years of growth and headlines around stars like Caitlin Clark, the league deals with a storm it may have created.

This story isn’t just about a sale. It’s about trust, transparency, and whether leadership has the league’s best interest. And that question isn’t going away.