WNBA team Connecticut Sun owners to explore selling options due to standstill, according to a report
The sale of the Connecticut Sun to Boston Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca is facing opposition from the WNBA, primarily due to concerns over the proposed relocation of the team to Boston.
The WNBA and its Board of Governors must approve the sale and relocation, and league leadership has expressed resistance, in part because Boston did not submit a bid during the league's recent expansion process. This resistance is viewed as a way to block Pagliuca's deal in favor of other league priorities, such as expansion in Houston.
The Mohegan Tribe, current owners of the Sun, agreed to Pagliuca’s $325 million offer, which would be the largest sale in professional women's sports history. However, the deal is contingent on WNBA approval. The tribe decided to sell partly due to infrastructure limitations at their current arena and the financial appeal of the offer.
The league, on the other hand, emphasizes local ownership and market dynamics in maintaining or relocating franchises. The Sun will remain in Connecticut for the 2026 season, playing at Mohegan Sun Arena, which seats a modest 10,000 fans.
Another proposal is a sale to former Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry and his group, with the intention of keeping the team in Connecticut but moving to Hartford. Pagliuca's bid includes plans for the Sun to use TD Garden as its home venue should the sale to him be approved.
The Sun relocated from Orlando in 2003 when the Mohegan Tribe purchased the franchise. The team's season ticket renewal for the next season has received positive feedback from the fanbase.
In response to the challenges, the Mohegan Tribe will present multiple options to the WNBA to potentially salvage the sale. Before Pagliuca's bid, the WNBA offered to purchase the team for $250 million, paving the way for the league to eventually sell it to an ownership group in one of its preferred expansion markets.
The WNBA has clarified that relocation decisions are made by the WNBA Board of Governors, not individual teams. The league has its own agenda for expansion cities, which does not currently include Boston. Connecticut is the WNBA's smallest market.
If the WNBA approves the Sun's sale to Pagliuca, it would set a record as the highest price tag for a women's sports franchise in U.S. history. The Mohegan Tribe may also consider selling a minority stake in the franchise or allowing the league to purchase it at full price and relocate from the Mohegan Reservation.
This situation is complicated by political support in Connecticut, where Governor Ned Lamont is actively fighting to keep the team in the state, and a local ownership group has made a competing offer close to Pagliuca’s. The league's stance is seen as a way to protect its interests and maintain a balance between team ownership and market expansion.
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