The Connecticut Sun’s future remains unsettled as the WNBA weighs three competing bids for the franchise, with the league signaling a preference for relocating the team to Houston. The sale, which could set a record for a WNBA transaction, has been slowed by behind-the-scenes maneuvering over the team’s next home.
The Sun, owned by the Mohegan Tribe since 2003, are officially set to play in Uncasville for the 2026 season. Beyond that, relocation remains firmly in play, with ownership groups in Boston, Hartford, and Houston vying for the franchise. The process has drawn intense attention across the league, given the size of the bids, the cities involved, and the league’s willingness to influence the outcome.
Boston and Hartford Make Their Case
Boston Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca has reached an agreement to buy the Sun for $325 million — the highest reported sale price for a WNBA franchise — with plans to relocate the team to Boston in time for the 2027 season. His group has also pledged $100 million toward a new practice facility.
The deal still requires approval from the WNBA Board of Governors, but the league has not advanced the process in recent months.
Meanwhile, former Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry matched Pagliuca’s $325 million bid in an effort to keep the team in Connecticut. His plan would move the Sun to Hartford, with the state committing roughly $100 million for a practice facility.
However, the WNBA has reportedly been resistant to Hartford as a long-term market for the franchise, limiting progress on that proposal.
Houston Pushes for Return to the League
The equation changed when Houston formally entered the bidding process. Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta is leading the city’s effort to acquire and relocate the Sun, with the league reportedly favoring Houston if the bid matches the $325 million price and includes an undisclosed relocation fee. Because the sale itself would not provide direct financial benefit to the WNBA, a relocation fee would offer the league additional revenue.
The WNBA’s preference for Houston is tied to the city’s market size, basketball history, and the potential to reestablish a strong fan base. Houston was home to the Comets, one of the league’s original eight franchises, who won the first four WNBA championships before folding in 2008 due to a lack of local ownership.
Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has described Houston as “next in line” for a team when the opportunity arises, and the Sun’s sale could be that opening.
Houston has been pursuing a return to the WNBA for years, but expansion has proven elusive. Fertitta’s ownership group submitted a bid during the most recent expansion round but fell more than $50 million short of the league’s $250 million asking price. Philadelphia, Detroit, and Cleveland were awarded new franchises instead.
Given those setbacks, relocation has become the city’s most realistic path back into the league. The Sun sale presents an immediate opportunity for Houston to land a team without waiting for the next expansion cycle — and the league’s public and private support suggests that, if the financial terms are right, it could happen.
Waiting on the Board
No agreement has been finalized or approved. Sun president Jennifer Rizzotti said the team is preparing for another season at Mohegan Sun Arena in 2026 but acknowledged uncertainty for 2027 and beyond.
With record-setting bids on the table from Boston and Hartford, and the WNBA pushing for a Houston move, the decision will ultimately come down to which offer satisfies both the league’s financial goals and its market strategy. Until then, the Sun’s long-term future remains one of the biggest unanswered questions in women’s professional basketball.
