The Connecticut Sun couldn’t have picked a worse time for their sale to get complicated. What started as a straightforward $325 million deal has spiraled into a bidding war, with each potential owner facing the prospect of paying millions more than expected. The reason? A relocation fee that nobody saw coming, but could determine where this franchise ends up calling home.
How Could Added Costs Reshape the Battle for the Connecticut Sun?
Back in July, billionaire Steve Pagliuca thought he had everything locked up. The deal with the Mohegan Tribe was clean: $325 million for the Sun, with plans to pack up and move the team to Boston. Then WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert threw a curveball nobody expected.
Engelbert let the deal slide instead of presenting it to the league’s board of governors before the exclusivity window expired. That delay cracked open the door for former Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry, who swooped in with his own $325 million offer and a different vision. His plan? Keep the team in Connecticut and move them to Hartford.
Houston, Boston and Hartford are all in the mix for the Sun. A relocation fee could end up determining the franchise’s future.
The latest on where the Sun sale stands:https://t.co/KteaUQv0KX
— Annie Costabile (@AnnieCostabile) August 13, 2025
But here’s where things get interesting. Multiple sources told Front Office Sports that relocation could trigger a hefty fee payable to the league. That fee might push the final bill well beyond the original $325 million price tag.
Meanwhile, the WNBA reportedly isn’t sold on Hartford as a long-term solution. Instead, Houston has emerged as the league’s preferred destination. Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta, who previously fell short of the league’s record $250 million expansion fee, could fast-track Houston’s return to the WNBA by paying both the Sun’s sale price and the relocation fee.
Why Is the WNBA Pushing for a Relocation Fee?
For the WNBA, this relocation fee isn’t just paperwork. It’s cold, hard cash flowing directly into league coffers at a time when every dollar counts.
Here’s the problem: that $325 million sale price goes entirely to the Mohegan Tribe. The league itself doesn’t see a penny from the transaction. By tacking on a relocation fee, the WNBA can secure a significant revenue injection when expansion and growth are driving unprecedented attention.
This strategy fits perfectly with the league’s broader financial push. Expansion fees have exploded to a record $250 million per team, a massive jump from the roughly $50 million the Golden State Valkyries reportedly paid. The league’s latest additions in Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia alone brought in $750 million, fueled by a surge in fan engagement thanks to rising stars like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Paige Bueckers.
However, even with record-breaking revenue of $200 million in 2024, the WNBA still posted a $40 million loss and has yet to turn a profit in its 28-year history. The league still relies on the NBA to cover operating shortfalls. That makes a potential relocation fee not just a bonus, but a critical tool for funding future growth, marketing, and infrastructure without depending entirely on expansion.
The Sun is still chasing its first championship after three Finals appearances. This season hasn’t helped their case, as they sit at the bottom of the league with a 6-26 record. Whether they end up in Boston, Hartford, or Houston, a new owner and potentially a new city could be exactly the shakeup this struggling team needs.
