Connecticut Sun Will Confirm Their Presence in 2026
The Connecticut Sun president, Jennifer Rizzotti, confirmed that the team will play at the Mohegan Sun Arena in 2026. This comes after an agreement 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 entirely finalized.” 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, minority owner of the NBA’s Boston Celtics, agreed to buy the Sun for $325 million and contribute $100 million for a training facility. The sale price would be a record for a women’s sports franchise. Pagliuca said in a statement that an offer had been made to buy the team, but “approval has not 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.” “A central element of our proposal is to allow the Sun to play in arenas with greater capacity in New England,” Pagliuca wrote. “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.” 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, becoming the first non-NBA owners of a WNBA team. Rizzotti said that 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 in a row, as well as four trips to the WNBA Finals. But the Sun are one of the few teams that haven’t built or announced plans to complete a dedicated training facility. The team currently trains 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 a capacity for just under 9,000 fans. Rizzotti praised the Mohegan Tribe for being “considerate” 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. “Have they been approved?” Rizzotti said. “They know, somehow, but we have never suffered in loyalty and commitment and a great fan base and people who really care about taking care of our players.” Rizzotti says his conversations with league players suggest they would prefer to play in a larger market with more opportunities than Uncasville. “Relocation decisions are made by the WNBA Board of Governors and not by the individual team,” the WNBA said in a statement, adding that cities that submitted expansion bids have priority over Boston in that process.“We have received many positive feelings from our fans based on the news that we will be here next year,” said Rizzotti. “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 how far we can go. And if it turns out to be our last year here, we will make sure to celebrate it in a big way.”
Jennifer Rizzotti
