A first date or a power move? Basketball columnist says McKee's meeting raises questions

Yahoo

03-08-2025

Was this just an introductory meeting? The business equivalent of a first date? Perhaps an attempt to gain some leverage while negotiating elsewhere?
All we have is speculation following a reported Friday rendezvous between Gov. Dan McKee and an unnamed potential investor in the Connecticut Sun, the WNBA team that currently plays its home games at Mohegan Sun Arena.
McKee and the investor reportedly toured Amica Mutual Pavilion, a potential new home for the franchise should the Mohegan Tribe decide to sell its controlling stake. ESPN reported in May the team was exploring its financial options, including taking on potential limited partners.
Was this a little public flirting with Providence to spur some action at home?
The Sun are one of few remaining teams in the league without a dedicated practice facility, using their home arena for both training and games. XL Center in Hartford is set to undergo a $100 million renovation, a possible in-state option if ownership — current or new — would like to leave the casino grounds but stay nearby.
The Mohegan Tribe bought the team for $10 million in 2003 and moved it from Orlando to its home for the last 22 years. The logic at the time was obvious — a new arena that needed an anchor tenant and a market that boasted one of the most passionate women's college basketball followings in the nation. The University of Connecticut just won its 12th national championship under coach Geno Auriemma and has sent dozens of players on to the professional ranks.
The WNBA is big business now
That was a different WNBA than the one that tipped off this spring. Nielsen reported a 201% spike in viewership from 2023 to 2024. That climb is now at 791% since the start of 2017. Sportico estimated the Sun's value at $80 million last year, a significant growth from the last time ownership changed hands.
This is a league with major crossover appeal at the moment, and that starts with the college game. Name, image and rights legislation implemented by the NCAA has allowed players to both get paid and reach wider audiences than ever before. Caitlin Clark had major brand deals with Nike, Gatorade and State Farm in hand before she graduated from Iowa and became the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft.
Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers are the three most followed players in the league on Instagram, and they all arrived within the last two years. Cameron Brink and Hailey Van Lith are both in the top 10 and have played less than two seasons. Juju Watkins, the standout guard at Southern California, will be next.
WNBA schedule lines up with Providence's downtown
The current WNBA schedule runs from May to September, a pocket that coincides with several dates typically available downtown. The Providence Bruins open their regular season in October and finish in April — only an extended run in the Calder Cup playoffs would create any overlap. The Providence College men's basketball team plays its home games between November and March, heading off to the Big East Tournament about two months before the women would take center stage.
Is recruiting the team worth it?
It's worthwhile for McKee or any other state official to explore such an opportunity. Men's college basketball has meant big business downtown since the former Providence Civic Center opened in the 1970s, including a return of the NCAA Tournament in March. Bars, restaurants and hotels were jammed over a four-day weekend that featured visits from big programs like Kansas, St. John's, Arkansas, Clemson and Purdue.
Could a professional women's team capture some summer attention here? The possibility is certainly generating some discussion. Where it goes from here is anybody's best guess.
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This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: McKee's WNBA meeting wasn't just optics — it was opportunity | OPINION