Group led by Steve Pagliuca acquires the Connecticut Sun
A group led by Steve Pagliuca, minority owner of the Celtics, has reached an agreement to buy the Connecticut Sun for a record $325 million. The operation also includes the team’s move to Boston, according to sources close to the negotiation. The franchise is not expected to play in Boston until the 2027 season. In addition, Pagliuca will contribute $100 million for the construction of new training facilities in Boston. The sale is subject to the approval of the league and its board of governors.The Sun have played regular season games at TD Garden for the last two years, including a matchup against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever in July. The league has announced the addition of five expansion teams that will begin competing in the next five seasons: Portland (2026), Toronto (2026), Cleveland (2028), Detroit (2029), and Philadelphia (2030). Each of them paid an expansion fee of 250 million dollars, at the time, the highest in history.Decisions about relocation are made by the WNBA Board of Governors and not individual teams.
League Statement
Nine other cities submitted bids for expansion teams, including Houston, which the league highlighted as a candidate to receive a team in the future, when announcing Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia in June. Boston was not mentioned.
The Sun are owned by the Mohegan tribe, which manages the casino in Uncasville, Connecticut, where the team has played since 2003. The tribe bought the franchise for $10 million and moved it from Orlando, Florida, that same year. The Connecticut franchise was the first in the league to be managed by an owner who did not belong to the NBA and became the first to make a profit.No Boston group applied for a team at that time and those other cities are still under consideration, based on the extensive work they did as part of the expansion process and currently have priority over Boston. The Celtics’ future ownership team has also contacted the league office and asked that Boston receive strong consideration for a WNBA franchise at the appropriate time.
WNBA Statement
The WNBA has experienced rapid growth in recent seasons, and ownership groups have invested more in their teams, including player experiences. This has translated into training facilities. The Sun are one of the few teams in the league that have not announced any plans for a new training facility. Connecticut trains at the casino stadium or at a local community center.Any sale agreement with the relocation of the team to a different market would have to be approved by the WNBA and would also be subject to confidentiality terms. Therefore, we cannot comment on any details of who, if anyone, has submitted offers or is seeking investment in the Connecticut Sun at this time.
Statement from Mohegan leaders
Despite the lack of facilities, the Sun have been one of the most successful teams in the WNBA, reaching the postseason in 16 seasons, including a streak of six consecutive semifinal appearances. However, the team was affected this offseason, with the departure of the entire starting five from last season, either through free agency or trade.
Connecticut is in last place in the WNBA with a record of 5-21. The team sent a letter to subscribers last week saying it would continue to play at the casino next year. The last team to be sold in the WNBA was in 2021, when real estate investor Larry Gottesdiener led a group that bought the Atlanta Dream for less than $10 million. A year earlier, Mark Davis paid approximately $2 million for the Las Vegas Aces.
