Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca is leading a group to purchase the Connecticut Sun from the Mohegan Tribe, with plans to relocate the WNBA team to Boston by the 2027 season.
The deal includes a proposed $100 million investment in a new practice facility, but it still needs approval from the WNBA and its Board of Governors.
Governor Ned Lamont weighed in on Monday. He said he’s doing everything he can to keep the team in the state.
“I know that we’ve got a very competitive bid. I know we have lots of local corporate support that wants to make this happen,” Lamont said.
If it gets finalized, it would mark the largest sale in professional women’s sports history.
The team would continue to play at Mohegan Sun Arena through at least 2026 with potential early-season games in Providence during their first Boston season due to scheduling conflicts at TD Garden.
“It’s not over till it’s over. We’re fighting like heck. Connecticut’s the home of women’s basketball, the Sun ought to be right here,” Lamont said.
The sale comes amid a wave of growth and investment in the WNBA, with multiple expansion teams, including Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia, set to join the league in the coming years.
The Sun has been Connecticut's only major professional sports team since 2003.
