WNBA possibly headed to Boson with Sun sale: Everything we know so far

USA Today

02-08-2025

The WNBA may be headed to Boston sooner than expected.
A deal has been reached between a group led by Boston Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca and the Mohegan Tribe to buy the Connecticut Sun and move the team to TD Garden by 2027, per the Boston Globe.
The purchase would be for $325 million, a record for a women's professional sports franchise, per the Globe. A $100 million practice facility in Boston is reportedly in the works if the deal goes through.
"The Boston group is targeting a 2027 move and would potentially play early season games in Providence to avoid any conflict with Bruins and Celtics playoff games," the Globe's Gary Washburn reported.
The Sun has played games at TD Garden in the past, including one against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever in July. The possible sale would give one of America's biggest cities a WNBA franchise sooner than expansion sites like Philadelphia, Cleveland and Detroit.
However, the sale is pending WNBA approval, and that could get tricky per a key detail in the Globe's report.
What could hold up the Boston sale?
According to Washburn, the WNBA could eye Boston as a possible expansion site in 2033. That might complicate the sale, but it's also possible the league and its governors go ahead and approve this transaction.
The Celtics are reportedly agreeable to the Sun moving into TD Garden, per Washburn.
Will the team stay the Sun if the sale is approved?
That detail is not yet known, as a potential rebranding is always possible.
However, the Boston Sun has a nice ring to it.
Could the WNBA force the Sun to stay in Connecticut?
It's apparently possible, per Washburn.
"A WNBA source said if the league forces the Mohegan Tribe to sell to a Connecticut-based buyer to [keep] the team in the state, which it has the power to do, Mohegan will cooperate, but the Tribe's choice is to sell to the Boston-based group," he wrote. "That source said the Tribe has determined selling the franchise would be the most financially lucrative, and it could then concentrate on running its casino and hotel."
What are the problems with the Sun staying where they are?
Well, Washburn outlined some of the biggest challenges the Sun faces by staying where the team is.
"Mohegan Sun Arena is the league's fourth-smallest venue and the Sun lack a dedicated practice facility, instead conducting workouts at the gym inside the Tribe's community and government center," he wrote. "Often, the Sun are forced to share space with summer camps and other local events."
That can lead to a lack of interest for WNBA free agents and dissatisfaction with rostered players.
Where will the Sun play in 2026?
The team will remain in Connecticut at Mohegan Sun Arena, no matter what happens with this possible sale.