Sun intend to play in Connecticut in 2026 pending sale to Boston

UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Tina Charles found out about the pending sale of the Connecticut Sun on social media Saturday afternoon, like the rest of the world.

The Boston Globe reported a deal had been reached for Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca to buy the Sun from the Mohegan Tribe for a record $325 million with plans to move the franchise to Boston and build a $100 million practice facility.

Pagliuca released a statement Sunday evening on X, saying that “no transaction has been agreed yet.”

The statement added that Pagliuca’s intent in offering to buy the Sun is to “invest in the team, grow it’s devoted fan base” in the New England area and build a championship roster.

Charles initially felt somewhat conflicted about the Sun, who have played in Connecticut since 2003, potentially being relocated, but she eventually came to terms that it may be for the best.

“All good things usually come to an end, and you move on,” Charles, drafted No. 1 overall by the Sun in 2010, said before an 87-78 loss to the Liberty on Sunday. “This team came from Orlando. That community felt it at the time, and they brought great memories here. So, God willing, [you] can do the same thing going to Boston.”

Sun president Jennifer Rizzotti confirmed the team intends to play at Mohegan Sun Arena next season. She also reiterated several times throughout a 25-minute news conference that the tentative sale by the Mohegan Tribe was “not quite at the finish line,” though she couldn’t confirm exact details due to a nondisclosure agreement.

The sale and potential relocation to Boston are subject to approval by the WNBA board of governors.

The WNBA released a statement Saturday that said Boston was not one of the 12 cities that applied for a team as part of the league’s most recent expansion process.

“Those other cities remain under consideration based on the extensive work they did as part of the expansion process and currently have priority over Boston,” the WNBA statement said. “Celtics prospective owner Bill Chisholm has also reached out to the league office and asked that Boston receive strong consideration for a WNBA franchise at the appropriate time.”

The Mohegan Tribe had been weighing options either to sell the team or add more investors over the past several months as demands for better venues and player accommodations had increased.

“[The Mohegan Tribe has] been thoughtful at where they are and what the league might look like in five years and the size of our arena and the fact that we don’t have a practice facility and really have tried to do what’s best, not just for this team but for the league as a whole,” Rizzotti said.

“They invested in this team in so many different ways before it was popular,” she continued. “They did provide an arena and facilities that were above what other teams were doing for it. Have they gotten passed by? They know that, right, in some ways. But we’ve never suffered in loyalty and commitment and a great fan base.”

While Rizzotti believes veteran players, such as Charles, may appreciate the Connecticut market and what it’s offered, she also acknowledged that young and incoming players might prefer a bigger market to build their personal brands and gain access to more expansive opportunities.

The Boston Globe reported the WNBA may force the Mohegan Tribe to sell to a buyer who intends to keep the team in Connecticut and that the league would rather give Boston an expansion team in 2033.

Asked about that, Rizzotti said, “I can’t imagine that if there is an investment group at the right level in a great city, why anybody would not consider that to be a viable option.”