- Details
- By Brian Edwards
- Economic Development
A group led by Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca has struck a record-setting $325 million deal to acquire the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun from the Mohegan Tribe, according to multiple media reports.
The Boston Globe was first to report the sale, which includes a planned relocation of the team to Boston by the 2027 season. Pagliuca has also committed $100 million toward a new practice facility for the team. The deal is subject to approval by the WNBA and its Board of Governors.
The Mohegan Tribe made history in 2003 when it purchased the franchise for $10 million and relocated it from Orlando to its Mohegan Sun casino in Uncasville, Conn. The Sun became the first women’s professional sports team in the U.S. to be owned by a tribal nation — and the first WNBA franchise to turn a profit.
Although the Sun have long been one of the WNBA’s most financially stable franchises, the limitations of their home facility have become increasingly problematic. The Mohegan Sun Arena, which seats 9,323 for basketball, is located on tribal land and directly connected to the Mohegan Sun casino resort in Uncasville.
While the setup offered unique business advantages, the arena is the fourth-smallest in the league, and the team lacks a dedicated training facility — instead practicing in the tribe’s community center, often sharing space with youth programs and local events. These infrastructure challenges, combined with the financial upside of the record-setting offer, reportedly contributed to the tribe’s decision to pursue the sale.
A source told The Boston Globe that the tribe had been exploring a sale, and the offer from Pagliuca’s group accelerated that decision.
If approved, the $325 million sale would mark a historic return on investment for the Mohegan Tribe and set a new benchmark for franchise values in women’s sports. It also comes as the WNBA expands rapidly, with five new teams scheduled to join the league by 2030.
The Mohegan Tribe is one of two federally recognized tribes to own a professional sports team. In 2024, California-based Wilton Rancheria became the first tribal nation to acquire a majority stake in a men’s professional sports team when it purchased Sacramento Republic FC, a United Soccer League club.
Mohegan leadership declined to comment on the sale, citing nondisclosure agreements, but acknowledged in a statement that any relocation would require league approval.
Despite its struggles this season — the team is currently in last place with a 5–21 record and lost all five starters from the previous year — the Sun remains one of the WNBA’s most consistently competitive and financially stable franchises. The team has made the playoffs in 16 of its 21 seasons since relocating to Connecticut, including six consecutive semifinal appearances and two trips to the WNBA Finals.
Off the court, the Sun have been lauded for building a loyal fan base in a non-NBA market and for being the first WNBA franchise to operate profitably — a breakthrough that validated the Mohegan Tribe's early investment in women's professional sports.
This is a developing story.
