Is the Connecticut Sun really for sale? Oh, they’ve been practically gift-wrapped by the previous owners. The Connecticut Sun, originally born in Orlando (yep, back when Britney was topping charts), made their way to Uncasville in 2003. Ever since then, they have been under the proud ownership of the Mohegan Tribe. However, after two proud decades, the tribe has shown that it is ready to pass the torch.
Back in May 2025, they hired Allen & Company, Wall Street’s go-to fixer for sports megadeals, to explore a sale. Safe to say, their phones rang off the hook. Even the billionaire Marc Lasry reportedly sniffed around. But in the end, it was Steve Pagliuca’s offer that flexed harder than a post-game Aliyah Boston bicep. The cherry on top that made the Sun favor Pagliuca was that he brought a $100 million commitment to build a brand-new practice facility. That’s a flex most other bidders couldn’t match.
Moreover, the TD Garden has already hosted two sold-out WNBA games featuring the Sun that showed a glimpse of the possible future. The crowd showed up and the city absolutely buzzed. It was a full-blown demo of what WNBA basketball could look like in a city that worships the sport. Pagliuca, for his part, sees this as a long-awaited homecoming. With the league’s popularity booming, he’s making his move now: hard, fast, and with a historic $325 million on the table.
The Sun’s parent company, the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority (MTGA) needs it too. They had a total debt of $3.1 billion, more than $470 million of which was set to mature in the 2025 fiscal year. This is why “Mohegan Leadership continues to run their process of looking at different avenues of investment opportunities for the CT Sun.” However, despite the mutual flirtation between the Sun and Boston, this isn’t a done deal… yet. Relocating this team, isn’t something the WNBA Board of Governors will rubber-stamps overnight.
“Relocation decisions are made by the WNBA Board of Governors and not by individual teams.” a WNBA spokesperson told The Athletic. “No groups from Boston applied for a team at that time and those other cities remain under consideration based on the extensive work they did as part of the expansion process and currently have priority over Boston. Celtics’ prospective ownership has also reached out to the league office and asked that Boston receive strong consideration for a WNBA franchise at the appropriate time.”
The league might have some big doubts. So, will the appropriate time come soon or not, let’s explore…
Why Does the WNBA Prefer Boston as an Expansion Market Instead of Relocating the Sun?
The WNBA has a lot more on mind right now and it has explicitly shared it’s plans for an expansion goldmine like Boston. The league wants to save the state for a future league expansion slot rather than allow the Sun to relocate there immediately. It identified Boston as a prime candidate for a new franchise as late as 2033.
It’s because anyone following the NBA already knows that Boston is one of the biggest untapped sports markets without a WNBA team right now. So, if the league allows Connecticut Sun to move there, they would lose out on a massive expansion fee, which is typically in the $50–75 million range (or more, depending on the market buzz). Expanding into Boston from scratch would let the league:
Collect a fat check from new ownership
Build hype around a new team brand
Choose the timing that suits its bigger media and scheduling plans
How Does the WNBA Approach the Expansion Application Process and Market Order?
The whole process is pretty simple:
Cities express interest.
They submit formal bids to the WNBA.
The league evaluates proposals based on ownership, market size, infrastructure, and fan potential, league history.
Top candidates get site visits and deeper assessments.
The WNBA selects cities that meet strategic goals.
Like one of Cathy Engelbert’s favorite, based on all these criterion is Huston. As she once shared, “There are a variety of cities that obviously bid, and one of those I wanted to shout out — because they have such a strong history in this league and their great ownership group — is Houston.” She added, “The Houston Comets were just an amazing one, the first four inaugural championships in the WNBA. So I would say that’s the one, obviously, we have our eye on. [Owner] Tilman [Feritta’s] been a great supporter of the WNBA, and we’ll stay tuned on that.”
In the WNBA’s June 2025 expansion round, Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia got their own teams. Apart from them, nine other cities applied (but Boston wasn’t one of them), and all of them now have priority for future expansion slots. If the league would now turn around and gives Boston a team via relocation (skipping the whole bidding process) it would severely undermine the fairness of that system. Cities like Nashville, Toronto, or the Bay Area would rightfully feel betrayed.
However, there’s a lot more to it after a franchise applies.
How Does the WNBA Approval and Governance Process Affect the Sun’s Relocation?
Hear it from Steve himself, “Our offer is subject to obtaining the required league approvals, as is the case for all such transactions,” Pagliuca wrote on social media. “This approval has not been obtained thus far, and we cannot proceed without it. We will respect, cooperate with, and abide by all league rules and decisions on these matters.”
Steve Pagliuca released a statement this evening, basically saying the purchase of the #Sun and the relocation to Boston is in the WNBA’s hands. pic.twitter.com/S8a8E8mUi5
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) August 4, 2025
If that didn’t clarify it enough, the league recently doubled down on shutting any rumors of a finalized move on the basis of franchise’s decision to sell. “Relocation decisions are made by the WNBA Board of Governors and not by individual teams,” the league said in a statement. So unless, the WNBA approves, no leaf moves.
Why Is Maintaining the Connecticut Fan Base Important for the WNBA?
Connecticut isn’t glamorous, but the Sun are one of the W’s most successful franchises, based on their viewership.
They consistently draw solid attendance: for the 2024 WNBA season they had 8451 fans per game. This was the highest average in the league.
They’ve made multiple Finals: The team has appeared in the WNBA Finals in 2004, 2005, 2019, and 2022, but is yet to secure a championship.
Their fans actually care
They are owned by the Mohegan Tribe, which gives the WNBA one of its most unique ownership stories and its only tribally-owned pro team.
Jun 22, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Valkyries fans perform the wave during the fourth quarter against the Connecticut Sun at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Considering all of these points, PR-wise, it would looks really bad to boot a team out of a place that’s done nothing wrong.
What Financial and Strategic Issues Does the WNBA Consider with the Sun’s Potential Move?
Letting a top-tier team like the Sun relocate right now for bigger profits will directly clash with the WNBA’s carefully crafted growth narrative. This move might be fine for the NFL but it’s not what the W wants right now because:
If Boston Celtics’ viewership is any proof, a WNBA franchise for Massachusetts could be a big win.
The Celtics have bragging rights as the NBA’s biggest draw. They appeared in eight of the league’s 20 most-watched games of 2024-25.
If Boston lands a WNBA team, Massachusetts will instantly become the 8th largest fanbase by state population among current franchises
That’s a built-in audience ready to show up, this would guarantee ticket and merchandise sales.
Moreover, it could be big because the last time a WNBA team changed hands, it was in 2021. Back then, the Atlanta Dream sold for just $7–10 million. Fast forward to now, and Pagliuca’s $325 million offer for the Sun shatters every valuation ceiling in women’s pro sports. Add to it, the $100 million pledge for a practice facility, this would be WNBA’s biggest proof of growth till now.
A Boston relocation would also inject serious visibility into the league. It’s a top-tier sports market with built-in fan fervor, something the Sun’s current setup in Uncasville can’t offer. Moreover, the team right now conducts workouts at the gym inside the Tribe’s community and government center because the Sun also lack a dedicated practice facility. Also, Mohegan Sun Arena is the league’s fourth-smallest venue.
Even rookie Saniya Rivers admitted, “I love Connecticut. It’s fine. But I think the marketing here itself is just going to be better for a women’s basketball program.”
The WNBA has already locked in Portland and Toronto for 2026, with Cleveland, Detroit, and Philly waiting in the wings. So, this sale could supercharge that expansion timeline or even complicate it, depending on how the league plays it. The bottom line is that Pagliuca’s mega-bid gives the WNBA a rare dilemma, should it stick to the conventional plan, or cash in early on Boston’s big-market buzz?
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