Connecticut Sun May Be Up For Sale Soon, Would Likely Relocate
The Connecticut Sun may soon be on their way out of the state. The WNBA franchise is looking at all options for the team’s future, including a potential sale, team president Jen Rizzotti said Tuesday.
The team was purchased for $10 million by the Mohegan Tribe in 2003, relocating the franchise from Orlando to Uncassville, Conn. The Sun were the first in the league to be run by a non-NBA owner and also became the first to turn a profit. The franchise is now worth an estimated $80 million.
But with the rapidly rising popularity of the WNBA, the Sun are now having trouble keeping up with the rest of the league. While other teams are investing in their players through more amenities and state-of-the-art facilities, the Sun are still holding practices in the casino arena and at a local community center. In fact, when the WNBA team isn't practicing, the site moonlights as a venue for yoga classes and birthday parties, according to CT Insider.
Connecticut is one of the few teams in the league that hasn't announced any plans for a new training facility.
The Connecticut Sun's facilities pale in comparison to the rest of the league.
(Photo by Joseph Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Still, though, the Sun have consistently been one of the most successful teams in the WNBA — making the postseason in 16 of their 22 seasons, including six-straight semifinal appearances between 2019 and 2024.
Given their winning track record, Rizzotti has nothing but high praise for the team's owners.
"They do everything first class. They pride themselves on guest experience and attention to detail and true investment in the right ways," Rizzotti said. "If the tribe decides they want to own this team, they’re as competitive, I think, as any ownership group in the league."
The Mohegan Tribe has hired investment bank Allen & Co. to explore its options moving forward.
"We’re going to pour into this franchise as long as it’s here," Rizzotti said. "And if it ends up not being the case, then we’ll worry about that when the time comes."
Where Could The Connecticut Sun Go?
Philadelphia and Boston have both been pegged as potential landing spots for the Sun should the tribe decide to sell. The 76ers ownership group submitted an official bid for an expansion team earlier this year, while Boston — despite no formal bid — saw efforts led by Michael Carter-Williams and Donnie Wahlberg to bring a WNBA franchise to the city.
The Sun will play at Boston's TD Garden in July against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever.
READ: Six WNBA Teams Have Already Moved Games Against Caitlin Clark To Larger Arenas
Former WNBA MVP Tina Charles returns to the Connecticut Sun in 2025. She was the No. 1 overall pick by Connecticut in 2010.
(Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images)
Despite rumblings about a potential sale and relocation, though, Rizzotti met with the players and coaches Tuesday morning and asked them to stay focused on this season.
"They have their job, and our job is to put the best product on the floor," veteran center Tina Charles said. "We trust that they’re gonna do their jobs and make the right decision that will benefit the organization and the players and the coaches and the staff moving forward."
The Sun will open their regular season Sunday against the Washington Mystics at Mohegan Sun Arena.