The president of the Connecticut Sun, Jennifer Rizzotti, confirmed that the team will play at the Mohegan Sun Arena in 2026. This follows the agreement reached for a Boston-based investment group to acquire the franchise and move it for the 2027 season. Rizzotti reiterated that the sale by the Mohegan Tribe “is not in the final stretch.” The sale and possible relocation to Boston are subject to the approval of the WNBA Board of Governors. Meanwhile, the Suns have opened their season ticket renewal process for next season, which will run until August 22.
A group led by Steve Pagliuca, a minority owner of the NBA’s Boston Celtics, agreed to buy the Sun for $325 million and contribute $100 million for a practice facility. The sale price would be a record for a women’s sports franchise. Pagliuca stated that an offer had been made to buy the team, but “approval has not yet been obtained at this time, and we cannot proceed without it. We will respect, cooperate with, and abide by all league rules and decisions on these matters.”We have received many positive feelings from our fans based on the news that we will be here next year. I know there is still uncertainty about the future, but our loyal fans are excited to see this team grow and enter the second year of this roster remodeling and see where we can get. And if it ends up being our last year here, we will make sure to celebrate it in a big way.
Jennifer Rizzotti
Rizzotti and the Mohegan Tribe are restricted in what they can say due to a confidentiality agreement, but the Sun’s president indicated that any proposal would have to be presented to the league, and then the league would have to present it to the Board of Governors. The Mohegan Tribe initially purchased the franchise in 2003, when it was the Orlando Miracle, and moved it to Uncasville, making them the first non-NBA owners of a WNBA team. Rizzotti said the Mohegan Tribe is responsible for “decades of investment in the WNBA before it was popular to own a WNBA team,” which, according to her, is reflected in the team’s tremendous success on the court: 17 playoff appearances, including eight consecutive, as well as four trips to the WNBA Finals. However, the Sun are one of the few teams that have not built or announced plans to complete a dedicated practice facility. The team currently practices at the Mohegan Sun Arena or the Mohegan Tribal Center, a community space. While WNBA arenas vary in size, from approximately 4,000 to 18,000 in capacity, the Sun are on the lower end of that range, with just under 9,000 fans. Rizzotti praised the Mohegan Tribe for being “thoughtful” about the direction the league is taking and argued that it has “tried to do its best not only for this team, but for the league as a whole.” She has met with different groups of owners in recent months and said that the Mohegan Tribe has done an exhaustive job of researching potential new owners. The Sun sold out tickets for the 2024 and 2025 games at TD Garden in Boston, and Rizzotti says her conversations with league players suggest they would prefer to play in a larger market with more opportunities than Uncasville. The WNBA stated that relocation decisions are made by the WNBA Board of Governors and not the individual team, adding that cities that submitted expansion bids have priority over Boston in that process.Fundamental to our proposal is allowing the Sun to play in arenas with greater capacity in New England. We believe that our record offer and our deep commitment to the growth of the WNBA in the region that is home to the nation’s most passionate basketball fans will significantly benefit the league, the team, and all its fans.
Steve Pagliuca
