WNBA Player Safety Task Force In The Works, Commissioner Says

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced, in a press conference ahead of the draft, that the league is working on a platform aimed at combating hate and vitriol against players and key stakeholders such as coaches and corporate partners.

“We want to ensure that the WNBA remains a space where everyone—players, fans and partners, corporate partners—feels safe, valued and empowered,” Engelbert stated. “We actually assembled a dedicated task force, collaborated closely with key stakeholders, including league and team representatives, and worked with external organizations and experts.”

Despite not getting into specifics of how the platform will be implemented, the commissioner pointed out that the league is working with a technology provider for a comprehensive coverage of all safety needs, both in the digital and physical space. Some of the main target areas will be cyber safety, physical safety, mental health and monitoring.

The solution comes at a time when the league is thriving in several business metrics, but seems to not have been prepared for the downsides of popularity: ill-intentioned individuals are also paying attention, and players are the easiest targets.

WNBA Higher Popularity Has Had Its Ups And Downs

It’s no secret that the WNBA and women’s sports in general have experienced an exponential growth in popularity the past five years. In 2024, the league announced a 170% increase in viewership across ESPN platforms compared to the previous year. Later, in November, Wasserman’s report “The New Economy of Sports – Part II” projected a 32% growth in broadcast audience by 2027. During the 2025 March Madness, four women towered over the only man standing among the five most followed players on Instagram.

While higher viewership and fan engagement usually translate into positives like increased revenue and team valuation, the equally higher likelihood of bad actors being impacted by the product is inevitable. And it can cast a dark shadow over the much anticipated popularity that the WNBA struggled to reach for the longest time.

Players were outspoken about the increased hate they have experienced during the 2024 season as a result of new fans coming into games and commenting online. Some of the heaviest criticism came from then Connecticut Sun, now Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas.

“I think in my 11-year career I’ve never experienced the racial comments from the Indiana Fever fan base,” Thomas said to the media following a playoff game. “I’ve never been called the things that I’ve been called on social media and there’s no place for it.”

During a “Power Lunch” edition on CNBC, Engelbert was asked about the league’s role in controlling and defusing racially charged narratives, focusing on superstars Caitlin Clark and Angel Resse who, along with their talent, brought in their engaged fan bases to the pro level.

She replied praising the arrival of a new rivalry and its role in helping grow the business of the WNBA, including a larger dollar influx. Her response was deemed tone-deaf by many, including the players association, which released a statement asking for a more direct approach to the racism, sexism and other types of discrimination athletes have been facing.

“There is absolutely no place in sport—or in life—for the vile hate, racist language, homophobic comments, and misogynistic attacks our players are facing on social media,” WNBPA executive director Terri Jackson said in a statement. “This is not about rivalries or iconic personalities fueling a business model. This kind of toxic fandom should never be tolerated or left unchecked. It demands immediate action, and frankly, should have been addressed long ago.”

Although the question asked on CNBC focused on Clark and Reese, threats and harassment both online and offline are outspread throughout the WNBA and women’s basketball stars.

WNBA Player Safety Gaps Examples

Brittney Griner Harassed in Dallas

In June 2023, Brittney Griner, playing her first WNBA season since being wrongfully detained in Russia, was aggressively confronted by ring-wing YouTube creator Alex Stein at the Dallas-Fort Worth airport while traveling with her former team, the Phoenix Mercury. Griner, who became a target of conservatives since her imprisonment overseas, had had a request to fly charter that year partially accepted, but still had to fly commercial for most trips. At the time, the league considered private flights a competitive advantage, and didn’t implement them league-wide until 2024.

Caitlin Clark Stalker Arrested in Indianapolis

A Texas man was arrested in Indianapolis earlier this year accused of stalking superstar Caitlin Clark. The 55-year-old suspect traveled from his home state to Indiana with the intention of being in close proximity with the 23-year-old guard, he confessed to the police. The man had sent Clark several threats and sexually explicit messages, which caused the player to alter her patterns of movement for fear of her safety.

Angel Reese

Angel Reese has been one of the main target of racist and sexist comments online. In her podcast, Unapologetically Angel, her mom pointed out that the harassment got worse in recent years. Reese has been outspoken in expressing her frustrations with the fan treatment and the WNBA’s lack of positioning against the social media bullying she has received.

Paige Bueckers

In September 2023, an Oregon man, who had already been arrested for stalking Paige Bueckers once, was charged with second-degree breach of peace, electronic stalking and second-degree harassment after being caught again by UConn Police a few months later.

Chennedy Carter harassed in Washington, D.C.

Chennedy Carter was at the center of a widespread narrative that Caitlin Clark was targeted by WNBA players after hip-checking the rookie as the Indiana Fever was getting ready to inbound the ball. A few days later, a man approached Carter with a camera at the door of the hotel where the Chicago Sky was staying in Washington D.C. asking if she had reach out to Clark. Security had to intervene and de-escalate the situation.