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As much as it pains me to say it, it may be time for the State of Connecticut to confront reality and move on from the WNBA's Sun.
As someone that has worked with eastern Connecticut municipalities, specifically in the tourism sector, I know what the presence of a professional sports franchise means for businesses and visitor traffic in the region.
Of course, the state will not move on- at least not without a fight. For obvious reasons, government officials will pursue, at least rhetorically, all avenues to keep the franchise in Connecticut. As we know, historically, the Nutmeg State is particularly sensitive to this issue.
For many, the sting from losing the Hartford Whalers to North Carolina after the 1996-97 season still endures. This is evidenced by the lingering presence of Whaler's caps, T-shirts, and jerseys still worn by the team's faithful.
And then there was the romancing of Hartford by the New England Patriots, only to have the city left at the altar after being used as leverage for a new stadium in Foxboro. Actually, it was less of a romance and more of a one-night stand, with Pat's owner Robert Kraft leaving in the morning and telling then-Gov. John Rowland, "I'll call you."
First, Sun ownership has done all that it can to prepare the team for a move. Purchased in 2003 for $10 million, the most recent analysis by the website Sportico has the Sun valued at $180 million- 12th out of the WNBA's 13 teams. However, the current bidding war has a Boston investment group battling a proposed Connecticut public-private partnership and dangling the number $325 million. Can the Mohegans resist such a return on investment?
Also, after reaching the semifinals in 2024, Sun ownership conducted a fire sale and gutted the franchise to the bone. This included the departures of the head coach, Stephanie White, WNBA legends Alyssa Thomas and Dewanna Bonner, and 2024's Most Improved Player, DiJonai Carrington. Only two players from last year's roster were around to take the court in 2025.
Second, a pivotal question is whether, like the Whalers, a professional franchise can flourish in Connecticut sitting halfway between Boston and New York. While league attendance has exploded over the past two years, according to accrossthetimeline.com, in 2025, the Sun drew an average of 8,635 fans per game in an arena that has a capacity of 9,323 seats for basketball. As with all WNBA franchises, this is significantly higher than what the team drew in the year 2023 BCC (before Caitlin Clark). But the Sun were still the fourth lowest in attendance this year, only surpassing teams that play at much smaller venues. Also, these attendance numbers were buttressed by a single game against the Indiana Fever held at TD Bank arena in Boston that drew over 19,000 fans- two and one quarter times higher than the usual crowd.
UConn's Athletics website states that Peoples Bank Arena accommodates 16,294 seats for basketball. Therefore, an ancillary question is, would a Sun franchise in Hartford draw double the current fan base given that proximity between New York and Boston?
Finally, while well-intentioned, something just doesn't sit right about a state government taking an ownership interest in a professional sports franchise, albeit a minority stake. As we see, the use of state pension funds for the deal does not have universal support. It is said that politics makes strange bedfellows. Here, both Republicans and the largest state employee's union (AFSCME) have gone on the record opposing the proposed investment.
And let's face it, the typical state official- elected or appointed, including those in the General Assembly- do not evoke a picture of a "silent partner." You can almost see the following proposed bill in an upcoming session: "HB 2055, An Act requiring the Connecticut Sun to change from Man-to-Man to Zone defense."
In the end, Connecticut's efforts may buy a few years for the Sun to remain in state. In the end, however, such efforts are likely to go for naught. Antitrust and contractual interference accusations aside, professional sports leagues have significant control over the sale and location of their franchises. For reference, see Art Modell's Cleveland Browns, Robert Irsay's Baltimore Colts, and Donald Sterling's Los Angeles Clippers- none of which exist anymore due to actions strongly supported by their respective leagues. Like Connecticut today, the Cleveland and Baltimore situations involved significant, but futile, state, and municipal opposition.
Make no mistake about it, Boston is too big a market not to have a franchise. The city is slated for one of the future rounds of expansion after 2030. With the explosion of revenue and team values it looks doubtful that both Boston and the WNBA will wait around six or seven years to cash in on what the Boston market has to offer.