WNBA President Lisa Borders is Latest Executive to Leave

NEW YORK (AP) — Lisa Borders stepped down as WNBA president on Tuesday, the third executive to leave the league in six months.

She will become the first president and CEO of Time's Up — an organization dedicated to safe, fair and dignified work for women.

NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum will oversee the WNBA on an interim basis while a search begins for a successor. Borders ran the league for three seasons, joining in 2016 as its fourth president. She will stay until Nov. 1.

The WNBA is coming off a season in which it had its highest TV ratings in four years and begins its 23rd season next year.

But her departure follows that of Jay Parry, the WNBA's chief operating officer who left in April, and Ann Rodriguez, the senior vice president of league operations who left last month.

"The sky is absolutely not falling," Borders told The Associated Press by phone. "It's a natural evolution in any business. In young businesses you have talent coming and going on a regular basis. What I would say from my leaving is this is an extraordinary opportunity. I think this is an opportunity for the next leader to come in and take the baton and continue the work we have started here."

Under Borders, the playoff format changed — the top two teams now meet for the championship instead of a title game between conference champions. She also helped the San Antonio Stars move to Las Vegas, with their sale to MGM Resorts International.

She was instrumental in the WNBA growing in areas such as live streaming of games on Twitter and the availability of one-day daily fantasy. The league also appeared in a video game for the first time — NBA Live 18.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver lauded Borders for her "leadership and tireless commitment."

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