The Connecticut Sun’s future hangs in the balance as competing forces pull the franchise in different directions. A $325 million relocation proposal has sparked a bidding war that goes far beyond basketball, with the state of Connecticut refusing to let its WNBA team slip away without a fight.
Why Did the Sun’s $325 Million Boston Deal Face League Resistance?
Two months ago, the Connecticut Sun received a $325 million offer that would relocate the franchise to Boston. The lucrative deal came from Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks owners, who proposed moving the team to Boston and Hartford, respectively.
However, the WNBA pushed back against these proposals. League officials stated that relocation decisions are made by the board of governors and favor cities that have already undergone the expansion process. This resistance created an opening for Connecticut to make its own play.
The state of Connecticut has submitted a counterproposal that would keep the WNBA team within state borders. According to an ESPN report, Connecticut would use affiliated funds and have the Sun sell a minority stake at a valuation higher than the league’s current $250 million offer.
The state’s plan includes hosting games at both the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville and the PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford. Moving to Hartford would significantly increase capacity from 9,000 fans at Mohegan Sun Arena to 16,000 at PeoplesBank Arena. Additionally, the state is financing a practice facility and undergoing a $145 million renovation of the arena.
Breaking: The state of Connecticut has submitted a proposal that would keep the Sun in the state.
The proposed investment, which would utilize funds affiliated with the state, would involve the team selling a minority stake in the franchise:
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Connecticut Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz emphasized the state’s commitment to women’s basketball and the strong fan base that supports the team.
“I do believe that the best place for the Connecticut Sun is Connecticut because we have this very fierce fan base for women’s basketball,” Connecticut Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz told ESPN.
“We love the Huskies. We love watching the Sun. So many of our favorite players from UConn will be part of the Sun or have been part of the Sun, and we’ve seen that the Connecticut Sun players have been great community leaders and role models.”
Under Connecticut’s proposal, the Mohegan tribe, which has owned the Sun since buying and relocating the franchise from Orlando in 2003, would commit to keeping the team in Connecticut for a decade.
“The Mohegan tribe is very committed to trying to keep the Sun in the state, and the state of Connecticut very much values the tribe as a key partner,” Bysiewicz continued.
“We want to keep that strong partnership with the tribe that we’ve had going because they took a leap of faith going back to the beginning, saying that Connecticut should have a women’s basketball team here when not a lot of others thought that was a great idea.”
What Advantages Do Other Cities Have Over Boston?
The WNBA’s expansion process creates significant hurdles for Boston’s relocation bid. Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca, who proposed the $325 million deal to the Mohegan Tribe, planned to relocate the team to Boston in 2027. However, according to a USA TODAY Sports report, Pagliuca’s proposal was not presented to the Board of Governors during the expansion bid in January 2025.
Since the Board of Governors makes final relocation decisions, the WNBA released a statement saying that teams that weren’t awarded a franchise “have priority over Boston.”
While no final agreement has been reached, the current proposals demonstrate Connecticut’s determination to retain the Sun for nearly a decade. The state’s comprehensive plan, combined with the league’s preference for established expansion markets, positions Connecticut as a strong contender in this high-stakes battle for the franchise’s future.
