As the WNBA prepared to host its first virtual draft Friday, commissioner Cathy Engelbert noted there’s still a lot of uncertainty about the upcoming season because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Engelbert said she doesn’t know when training camps might open, how a season would be played or how the economic crisis might affect the league.
But there’s one thing she’s certain about: When sports return, they won’t be the same as they were before.
Speaking with the media on a conference call before the draft, Engelbert addressed some of the biggest questions about the WNBA. She made it clear it’s her intention ‘‘to have a season when it is medically advisable and feasible.’’
‘‘We’re going to try to get a semblance of a season in this summer into the fall,’’ she said.
What that might look like, however, has yet to be determined.
Engelbert said the situation remains fluid, but playing without fans or playing at a neutral site that has had limited exposure to the virus are viable options.
‘‘We’re not taking any options off the table, and we’re doing a lot of analysis,’’ she said.
The WNBA has flexibility in its schedule because it carved out a monthlong break from July 11 to Aug. 13 for the Tokyo Olympics, which have been postponed until 2021. Still, there’s the potential for the season to go well into the fall.
If that’s the case, the WNBA might find itself competing against more established leagues, such as the NFL, Major League Baseball, NBA and NHL, for fan attention.
‘‘I’m looking at it as an opportunity, not a challenge,’’ Engelbert said.
Nine of the 12 WNBA teams are in the same city as an NBA team, but only six of those teams share ownership with their male counterparts. Engelbert said there’s an opportunity to have NBA/WNBA doubleheaders with crossover coverage during broadcasts. She also said the league has considered playing games in markets where college basketball is big.
The WNBA had tons of momentum after a busy offseason that included the signing of a historic collective-bargaining agreement. But it all has simmered down because of the unprecedented shutdown. When the country opens again and sports resume, the league will have to work not to lose the progress it has made in recent seasons.
That makes the WNBA’s viability a big question. It’s no secret the league has struggled since its inception. In 2018, WNBA interim president Mark Tatum said the league suffered a $12 million loss.
That’s why making the WNBA financially stable has been a top priority for Engelbert. In her nine months in charge, she has set up several new revenue streams by securing corporate sponsorships and launching the WNBA Changemakers Partnership Platform.
Engelbert recognizes the economic crisis has affected some of the WNBA’s franchise owners. But she thinks her background in business — she was the CEO at the accounting giant Deloitte — has helped her handle this plight.
‘‘Some would say women’s sports are already at a bit of a disadvantage,’’ Engelbert said. ‘‘We had a lot of momentum coming into this year, which is why I still have a level of optimism, but this is a business.
‘‘We’re going to help our team owners and our teams, many of which are experiencing significant disruption as a result of the crisis — nothing to do with the basketball operations of their ownership. So I think what’s important is we’re staying on top of it.’’
