- Details
- By Tribal Business News Staff
- Economic Development
Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority has agreed to sell the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun to the Tilman J. Fertitta family in a transaction valued at $300 million, according to the tribal enterprise and published reports.
In a release, Mohegan said it will receive $150 million at closing, with the remaining proceeds due by Dec. 31, 2026. The deal is subject to WNBA approval.
The sale follows a broader process in which the Mohegan Tribe explored multiple bids for the franchise. Earlier offers reached $325 million and included proposals to relocate the team to Boston or Hartford, according to prior reporting by Tribal Business News and other media. Those proposals were not approved by the league.
The Connecticut Sun will play the 2026 season in Uncasville before relocating to Houston in 2027, where the team is expected to be rebranded, according to media reports, including the Collinsville Press.
Mohegan purchased the franchise in 2003 for $10 million and relocated it from Orlando, becoming the first tribal nation to own a professional sports team.
“The monetization of the Connecticut Sun enables Mohegan to make a step-function improvement of our capital structure,” Chief Financial Officer Ari Glazer said in a statement.
The company said proceeds will be used to reduce debt and reinvest in core gaming and hospitality assets.
The transaction comes as franchise values in the WNBA have increased alongside league expansion. Recent expansion teams in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia each paid $250 million to enter the league, according to media reports.
