Chicago was chosen to host the 2026 WNBA All-Star Game. Still, the announcement raised eyebrows among fans who believe commissioner Cathy Engelbert is focusing on everything except resolving the league’s pressing labor issues. The current collective bargaining agreement expires on October 30, and unless a new deal is reached, players could opt to strike.
The atmosphere between the WNBA and its players has grown tense, with little progress toward an agreement that would satisfy both sides. Many fans took to social media to express their frustration and skepticism over the league’s direction. One bluntly wrote:
Good choice if we have a season.
Another questioned Engelbert’s leadership and her ability to maintain the league’s stability:
Ummm… with how Cathy has alienated the players, do you really think there will be a 2026 season? Hey, I hope so!
Others used the announcement to vent broader frustrations about the league’s ownership and management.
Can you get us a new owner while you’re at it?
Some fans turned their criticism specifically toward the Chicago Sky, the franchise selected to host the event.
Chicago gotta sell the team. They have no all-stars and an incompetent GM & Coach.
One more didn’t mince words about the decision itself:
The worst ran franchise. Cathy ain’t serious.
Star forward Angel Reese also became part of the online conversation, with fans both defending her and criticizing the Sky’s leadership.
As an organization, you don’t deserve this shit. But for AR5 we ride.
Another fan even suggested a different host city, mocking the choice of Chicago:
If you planned to return a second time somewhere you’ve already recently been then you should return to Indy. Chicago, like the team, will be disorganized, unprepared, and an abundance of ripe stank that will hover over the city. Let the hilarity begin.
A broken relationship between Cathy Engelbert and the players
Sue Bird’s wife, Megan Rapinoe, commented that Engelbert now faces a deeply fractured relationship with players. According to her, trust between the commissioner and the athletes has eroded significantly, especially after revelations earlier this year when Napheesa Collier claimed Engelbert had made disparaging comments about certain players during a private conversation.
I think with Cathy, if you know, I have to like point to a failure, it’s clearly that the trust in the relationship with the players has really broken down.
Rapinoe added that the players’ growing frustration reflects a deeper communication failure:
It seems like they feel that they are not being heard, so this is their only lever to pull to get their side of the story out there.
Sue Bird, who is now part of the Seattle Storm ownership group, lamented that the persistent pay gap continues to cloud the WNBA’s progress. As tensions rise and public scrutiny intensifies, the league’s leadership faces mounting pressure to rebuild trust, ensure fair compensation, and demonstrate that its priorities extend beyond symbolic announcements and event planning.
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