The clock hasn’t run out on a deal to keep WNBA’s Connecticut Sun in the state, Gov. Ned Lamont said Monday.
“When it comes to the Connecticut Sun, we’re right in the fourth quarter. We still have some catching up to do. But it’s not over until it’s over – we’re fighting like heck,” Lamont told reporters. “Connecticut’s the home of women’s basketball – the Sun ought to be right here.”
Lamont spoke following news of a potential $325 million deal to sell the franchise to Boston Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca. The deal is not final and would still need approval from the WNBA.
If the move went through, the franchise wouldn’t play in its new home until the 2027 season. Pagliuca also would contribute $100 million for a new practice facility in Boston for the team, the Associated Press reported.
Meanwhile, a billionaire who’s a former co-owner of the Milwaukee Bucks is also interested in buying the Sun, Sportico reported last week. Marc Lasry is leading a group that aims to keep the team in Connecticut, playing at PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford, the Hartford Courant reported.
The WNBA issued a statement over the weekend, saying that moving a team was at the discretion of the league and not individual franchises.
Kurt Badenhausen has been reporting on the Sun for Sportico.
“The important thing to think about here is that the Mohegan Sun cannot do this without the approval of the WNBA,” he told Connecticut Public. “Relocating a franchise is a completely different conversation. They like to see that big number, but they do not like to see franchises relocated.”
Pagliuca’s group “will make the argument that the current fan base can still access games in Boston," Badenhausen said. "And with the idea that you can play games in a bigger arena, service a bigger market, that is accretive to the overall business.”
Currently, the Sun practices either at the Mohegan Sun Arena, located at the Mohegan Sun casino, or a local community center.
In response to a question about whether there would be support for using state money to build a new practice facility for the team, Lamont said: “We’re going to do what it takes to keep the Sun right here in Connecticut.”
That includes discussions with alternative buyers and local financial supporters, Lamont said.
“I know that we’ve got a very competitive bid. I know we have lots of local corporate support to want to make this happen,” he said.
The Sun are owned by the Mohegan Tribe, which runs the casino where the team has played since 2003. The Tribe bought the franchise for $10 million and relocated it from Orlando that year. The Connecticut franchise was the first in the league to turn a profit.
Despite the lack of facilities, the Sun have been one of the most successful teams in the league, making the postseason in 16 seasons, including a run of six straight semifinal appearances.
Connecticut Public’s John Henry Smith, Patrick Skahill, Abigail Brone and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
