The WNBA securing charters is great, how they got here isn't

When the WNBA announced that the league would be chartering flights for the next two years, there was plenty of excitement.

The change was long overdue. After years of excuses, mostly centered around money, the money suddenly appeared.

While the change to charter is ultimately a huge positive for the league, the sudden change and the timing of it raise questions.

Cries for charter flights are not new in the WNBA. Some will argue it should've been the standard from day one. Flying commercial has always been inherently risky, and the risks have increased dramatically since the 2020 CBA was enacted. COVID, Brittney Griner's detainment, and the influx of fans and visibility have all significantly altered the feasibility of continued commercial flights for WNBA players. And each one made the cries for charters louder and wider spread.

While it is great that those cries are finally answered, and these players are finally treated as the professionals they are, the way the league executed this deal leaves much to be desired, and makes me further question the leadership abilities of commissioner Cathy Engelbert.

This should've been an easy win for Cathy Engelbert

Engelbert hasn't had a major win since the Wubble. Her track record as WNBA commissioner isn't great. Securing charter flights should've been another major win (and it ultimately is, for the players), but somehow it still comes out looking messy.

Shortly after the news broke, multiple reports came from across the league stating that owners and GMs had no idea this deal was imminent. How can something this monumental happen with no heads-up for those most affected by it? Plus, given that the regular season is less than a week out, many teams have already secured their commercial travel for the season. Good luck getting that refunded.

Also, where are the resources coming from? The planes, the pilots, the schedule? Forming a flight schedule for an entire WNBA season is no small task. Is this even going to be possible with the season starting next week?

The optics of this deal are also not great, either. It seems very reactionary when it could've and should've been proactively handled.

The 2024 WNBA Draft class has been praised as the class that can vault the WNBA into a new era, with incredibly high levels of visibility, for months. It was known that Caitlin Clark was coming. It was known that Angel Reese was coming. It was known that Kamilla Cardoso, Cam Brink, and Rickea Jackson were coming. And it was known that these players were bringing the eyes of millions to the league. So why was this deal not enacted months ago? Why did it take for Clark to be mobbed in an airport for this deal to happen?

And why did that get more action out of the league than Brittney Griner getting harassed last season?

When pressed on the subject, Engelbert adamantly denied that the popularity of the 2024 rookies is what pushed this deal to fruition., but anyone who pays attention to sports knows that generational talents and classes bring waves to leagues that force change. The NBA has had multiple draft classes push them to new heights. Engelbert's attempt to deny that doesn't pass the smell test.

The 25-million-dollar question: Where did this money come from so quickly?

Breanna Stewart spoke on the lack of change (h/t USA Today), yet the sudden presence of funding. "To say that you've just come up with the 25 mil? Nothing has changed," Stewart said. "Media deal, CBA, nothing ... so you were just holding on to it for whatever."

To me, it looks like Engelbert and the top brass just didn't feel the urgency to invest until now. And while Caitlin Clark has done nothing wrong, this feels like another example of the league looking for a white savior to push it forward while ignoring the pleas of the Black women who make up the majority of its player base.

I've said it before, and I'll continue to say it: Cathy Engelbert is not the right person to lead the WNBA to the next level. She repeatedly shows that she doesn't have the best interests of the league, its fans, or its players truly in mind. And while her tenure will feature plenty of lasting change, she deserves minimal credit for it.