Connecticut Sun fanbase furious over relocation to Houston originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
After weekend reports, the Houston Rockets made things official on March 30; the WNBA is coming to Houston, as the Fertitta family has officially entered into an agreement to purchase the Connecticut Sun and relocate the to Houston.
Advertisement
Pending league approval, the franchise is expected to begin sharing the Toyota Center with the Houston Rockets for the start of the 2027 WNBA season. The Connecticut Sun will be renamed back to the historic Houston Comets — the original “Houston Comets” were led by Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes and Tina Thompson won the league’s first four championships and were known the first WNBA dynasty. Tilman Fertitta and his family are the current owners of the Rockets as well and per previous reporting from The Sporting News, ESPN and PaperCity Magazine closed the sale to bring the WNBA back to Houston for $300 million.
Membership deposits and gear are already available for purchase.
However, the reaction from Connecticut has not been so positive. Sen. Richard Blumenthal is calling for a federal investigation into the Connecticut Sun’s sale and relocation, and the Connecticut fanbase is in uproar.
Connecticut enraged over WNBA move to Houston
The Connecticut Sun PR department put out a statement on the morning of March 30 in light of said reactions.
Advertisement
“The Connecticut Sun organization understands how emotional this moment is for our fans and community. You have made a home for this franchise for generations, and we are grateful for the passion and support that made us a cornerstone team in the WNBA. While the league continues to grow and evolve, our commitment is to honor this legacy — and finishing this final season together with price,” the statement from Connecticut Sun Team President Jen Rizzotti read.
One fan responded to the statement, saying it is apparent this business deal and resulting statement was made purely for monetary pursuits.
“We, the money making entertainment entity, want you, the money paying customer, to know we still want your money. Before we leave your broke ass,” his post to X read.
Advertisement
Another Houston fan said that while she feels for the Connecticut fanbase, that it should be a joy to see the Comets return to Houston.
“The city is hype about the Comets coming back. I feel for Sun fans but I mean, that ire should be directed towards Cathy, not the homegrown fans who are excited to see the franchise return,” she said on social media. “The hostility tweets not hitting.”
The Connecticut Sun had made the playoffs for eight consecutive years before entering a rebuild in 2025, advancing to the Finals four times in their history but still not winning a championship.
“It is horrible that the basketball capital of the world will not have a pro team. This news comes on the heels of the women reaching an historic final four and the men having probably the biggest moment in tournament history. The WNBA needs to rethink this decision quickly,” another WNBA fan said online.
Advertisement
A WNBA team had not previously been sold since 2021, when Larry Gottesdiener led a group that bought the Atlanta Dream.
The Houston Comets have since created an X account, which has quickly already garnered over 4,000 followers within less than 24 hours.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert previously indicated Houston and owner Tilman Fertitta as “up next” and “the one we have our eye on” when the WNBA announced expansion to Cleveland (2028), Detroit (2029) and Philadelphia (2030) in June of 2025.
