WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said that the league’s newly announced partnership with Ally is a “huge step” along “with our other WNBA Changemakers, and changing the narrative about how” corporations invest in women’s sports. Engelbert, appearing on CNBC.com’s “CNBC Sport,” stated that the league’s “fans are coming,” which will allow them to return a lot of that “to fund things like player pay and benefits.” Ally CMO Andrea Brimmer, also on the show, said leagues “cannot sustain without brand investment,” which “rolls down in terms of player salary.” Brimmer said, “It is requisite for more and more brands to step up and support.” She said less than 6% of Fortune 500 companies are “fully investing in women’s sports.” Brimmer: “Companies need to do better.” Engelbert voiced the importance of building on recent progress, saying that they must “sustain the momentum from last year” and “gain on it.” She added that the league has “a huge opportunity to do that” through “continued marketing,” and “continued tune in.” On discretionary spending, Engelbert indicated she is “not worried this year, but certainly as we go forward, if we were to enter into a deep recession of some sort, then you start to look again at scenario plans and contingency plans around that.” She noted people “have proven that they like sports as an entertainment product,” and certainly believes “the WNBA has been something that has been growing in popularity and visibility” (“CNBC Sport,” CNBC.com, 4/16).
Engelbert calls WNBA’s Ally deal a ‘huge step’ for corporate investment in women’s sports
