Evie Goldstein new director of ops for WNBA players union

NEW YORK (AP) Evie Goldstein is ready for the challenge of leading the WNBA players' union as its new director of operations.

Goldstein was hired Tuesday replacing Pam Wheeler, who parted ways with the union in December after 15 years with the organization.

She spent six years working on the commercial side of the Major League Baseball players association after starting as a litigator at a New York law firm. Goldstein also was at Lifetime Television, which was one of the first networks to carry WNBA games in 1997.

''I wanted to get back into the sports arena,'' Goldstein said. ''I missed it, I left MLBPA for various reasons some for professional development where I enhanced my skillset. It was a great chance to get back into sports.''

She inherits a union which signed a new eight-year collective bargaining agreement in 2014 that has an opt-out after six years.

''I think my challenge is to enhance the players' involvement with their union,'' Goldstein said. ''Increase their knowledge of the CBA, what it means and where we want to take the union going forward. I can't wait to start meeting the players, the ones I've met thus far on the executive committee who interviewed me are fantastic women.''

Goldstein is expected to start this week.

''We were extremely impressed with the qualifications of many of the candidates, but Evie distinguished herself with the breadth of her legal experience and, in particular the excellent work she has done in sports,'' said search committee co-chair and WNBPA First Vice president Swin Cash. ''Her grasp of the labor dynamic and her commitment to empowering the players to participate in union governance is what clinched the selection for us.''