What should have been a landmark moment for the WNBA, a record-breaking franchise sale showcasing soaring team values, has devolved into a contentious standoff between one of its longest-tenured ownership groups and the league office. The complicated and increasingly dramatic sale of the Connecticut Sun has pulled back the curtain on the league's aggressive growth strategy, revealing a high-stakes power play over who controls the WNBA's expansion destiny and, more importantly, who profits from it.
The saga began when the Mohegan Tribe, which has owned the Sun for over two decades, agreed to sell the franchise for a reported $325 million to a group led by former Boston Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca. The deal was a blockbuster, set to smash previous WNBA sale records. However, there was one major catch: Pagliuca’s group intended to relocate the team 90 miles north to Boston, a major media market the WNBA has long coveted.
That’s when the league office stepped in and effectively vetoed the deal.
Why the WNBA Blocked the Boston Move
The WNBA's rejection wasn't about the buyer or the price tag. Instead, it was a strategic move to protect its own expansion plans and future revenue. The league’s primary reasons for blocking the sale were twofold:
Jumping the Expansion Line: Boston was not one of the cities that participated in the WNBA's recent, formal expansion process, which awarded teams to Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia for a hefty $250 million fee each. The league argued that allowing the Sun to relocate would let Boston bypass this established process and leapfrog other cities, like Houston, that have been patiently waiting in line.
Protecting a Future Windfall: The league sees a Boston franchise as a golden goose. Sources believe a future expansion team in Boston could command a fee between $400 and $500 million. Allowing the Sun to move there for a much smaller relocation fee would mean leaving hundreds of millions of dollars on the table, money that would go to the league's existing owners.
Essentially, the WNBA is playing the long game. It wants to control which markets get teams and ensure it maximizes the financial return on that expansion, rather than letting an existing team's sale dictate the map.
The Fallout and What Comes Next
The league's power move has left the Sun's sale in limbo and created a tense stalemate. The Mohegan Tribe is now caught between its desire to get the best possible price for its asset and the league's rigid control over relocation. This has forced the Sun's ownership to explore several alternative paths:
The Hartford Bid: Another heavyweight, former Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry, has reportedly matched Pagliuca’s $325 million offer with the intention of moving the team to Hartford. However, the league has also signaled it would not approve this move, keeping the team in a small market and further frustrating the sellers.
The League's Offer: The WNBA reportedly offered to buy the team itself for $250 million, which would allow the league to facilitate a sale and relocation to one of its preferred cities, likely Houston. The Mohegan Tribe, knowing it has a $325 million offer on the table, has little incentive to accept this lower bid.
Staying Put: Faced with a blocked sale, the Mohegan Tribe is now reportedly contemplating taking the team off the market altogether. This could involve selling a minority stake to raise capital for necessary upgrades, like a new practice facility, while retaining majority control.
The drama surrounding the Sun has become a messy but fascinating case study in the growing pains of a booming league. It highlights the inherent conflict between an individual franchise's right to sell to the highest bidder and the league's collective interest in strategic, profitable growth. For now, all potential buyers are in a holding pattern, waiting for the WNBA to make the next move. The only certainty is that the future of the Connecticut Sun and the path to a WNBA team in Boston has never been more complicated.