This past weekend, the news dropped that a deal was finalized that would move the WNBA's Connecticut Sun to Houston. There are definitely two different ways in which fans have reacted to this news. But to fully understand the circumstances of the deal, we need to go back to the beginning.
The Sun rebranded and moved to Uncasville, Connecticut, in 2003 after being purchased by the Mohegan Tribe. Before that, they had been the Orlando Miracle, an expansion team that started play in 1999. They were not only the first WNBA franchise to be owned by a non-NBA owner, but also the first to generate a cprofit. They've played in the same arena, Mohegan Sun, for all 23 of their seasons as the Sun.
Connecticut has been successful. They've made the playoffs in 16 of their 23 years. But in the last year, it's become a topic of conversation that perhaps Uncasville and Mohegan Sun Arena are no longer the place for the Sun. This is simply because they lack the facilities, resources and infrastructure that a WNBA team needs to truly thrive, especially with the great growth we're seeing surrounding women's basketball.
The Mohegan Tribe began exploring potential options for a sale in 2025. Ownership essentially reached a $325 million deal with Boston Celtics minority owner Stephen Pagliuca. This would have moved the Sun to Boston. There was another offer from Milwaukee Bucks minority owner Marc Lasry for another $325 million bid. This deal would have moved the team to Hartford, Connecticut. Both of these deals would have been record-breaking.
Well, essentially, the WNBA blocked both of these deals. They stated, "relocation decisions are made by the WNBA Board of Governors and not by individual teams."
The Sun to Houston deal details
So that brings us to the Houston deal. When the WNBA and Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced the three-team expansion last year — Cleveland, Detroit, Philadelphia — she included that returning to Houston was something the league wanted to do. I'm not sure everyone expected it to be like this.
The Connecticut Sun were sold to the Fertitta family, who own the Houston Rockets. This was a $300 million deal and did not include a relocation fee — less than both offers coming from Boston and Hartford. The team is expected to change its name back to the Houston Comets. The Comets were a part of the league from 1997 to 2008 and won four consecutive championships in their first four years.
Controversy and opinions regarding Houston deal
As you can imagine, this news was heartbreaking for Sun fans and the women's basketball community in New England. We can't necessarily blame them for feeling this way, especially with the name change. It feels like their history and everything they've built could be erased. A lot of WNBA fans feel that the owners were strong-armed by the league to agree to a relocation that would move them halfway across the country.
With the announcement of three new expansion teams joining the league over the next four years, fans are seemingly frustrated that Houston was not rejoining the WNBA as one of those expansion teams.
The fans aren't the only ones speaking up about this. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong sent a letter to the WNBA. He started by saying, "Connecticut is the heart and soul of women's basketball." He went on to mention that this sale would be at "a price far less than what was on the table to keep them here at home." He closed by stating, "The Office of the Attorney General previously requested relevant documents and we have reviewed portions of certain documents requested of the WNBA. We are consulting with our partners in state government and local leaders regarding this disappointing news."
U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal called for the Department of Justice to investigate the deal. He stated, "WNBA put a full-court press on blocking the Sun from staying in CT." He referred to the situation as "anticompetitive interference."
Will anything come of these statements? It's possible that this is bluster, politicians playing to their consituents. But in theory both the DOJ and the AG have the power to complicate or even halt the deal. Per TSN, "In recent weeks, the state of Connecticut has also put together a bid to buy a minority stake in the team using state-affiliated funds, which would keep the team in Connecticut."
It may be a long shot, but there is a process and it's not done yet — even if both sides have agreed to the deal.
That being said, the Sun are moving forward like the sale will go through. Jen Rizzotti, the president of the Connecticut Sun, put out a statement expressing gratitude to the fans. She stated, "The Connecticut Sun organization understands how emotional this moment is for our fans and community... While the league continues to grow and evolve, our commitment is to honor this legacy — and finishing this final season together with pride."
While Connecticut Sun fans are rightfully upset and maybe a little confused about how this entire deal went down, other W fans are ecstatic about the return of the Houston Comets. The franchise was rich in dominance and history, making its impending return compelling — if the deal goes through smoothly, of course. I believe it also makes the upcoming free agency especially interesting. Will players want to sign with Connecticut in 2026, knowing they'll be moving to Houston next year? Or will it make current Connecticut players more likely to explore other options for 2026?