The Connecticut Sun has reached an agreement to sell the team and relocate it to Houston, Texas after the upcoming season.
The Sun has been owned by the Mohegan Tribe and played at Mohegan Sun for more than 20 years. They’re the state’s only professional sports team.
“The Connecticut Sun organization understands how emotional this moment is for our fans and community,” team president Jen Rizzotti said. “You have made a home for this franchise for generations, and we are grateful for the passion and support that made us a cornerstone in the WNBA. While the league continues to grow and evolve, our commitment is to honor this legacy — and finish this final season together with pride.”
The Sun is being sold to the owner of the Houston Rockets for a reported $300 million, a WNBA record.
A buyer from Boston offered to purchase the team for $25 million more, but the league blocked the deal. There was also an offer from a group that would have kept the team in-state, with games played in Hartford.
The WNBA board of governors still has to approve the deal. It’s likely to go through — the league’s commissioner has said Houston would be the next city to receive an expansion team.
U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) called for a Department of Justice antitrust investigation into the deal.
“WNBA put a full court press on blocking the Sun from staying in CT — deeply harmful to fans who live and breathe basketball,” Blumenthal said on X. “DOJ should investigate and stop such anticompetitive interference.”
The Sun has made it to the WNBA finals four times since coming to Connecticut — most recently in 2022.
