Connecticut Sun moving to Houston after upcoming WNBA season: Source originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Connecticut Sun are leaving after playing basketball in the state for nearly 25 years.
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This season will be its last at Mohegan Sun.
They will be playing in Houston beginning in 2027, according to a source familiar with the agreement.
The Sun began playing in Uncasville in 2003 after the Mohegan Tribe bought the team and moved it from Orlando.
They have been one of the most successful teams in the WNBA, making the postseason in 16 seasons, including a run of six straight appearances in the semifinals.
There has been speculation about the future of the Connecticut Sun since last May, when reports surfaced the Sun’s ownership group had hired an investment bank to explore the sale of the franchise.
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At the time, Connecticut Sun president Jen Rizzotti said the tribe was considering all options, including selling the franchise.
In June, the WNBA announced it would expand to 18 teams, with new teams in Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia. The league had previously announced new teams in Toronto and Portland, Oregon beginning with this year’s upcoming season.
During the announcement, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said Houston was on the league’s list as the next possible location for a team.
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Gov. Ned Lamont and lawmakers responded with a plan for the state to use pension funds to buy a minority stake in the Sun and to keep them in Connecticut, possibly moving the team to Hartford.
The WNBA effectively blocked the Boston offer and told Connecticut a move to Hartford was not a viable option.
The league said the WNBA Board of Governors makes decisions on relocation and that those decisions are not made by individual teams.
“The Connecticut Sun inspired fans, elevated women’s sports, and represented our state with pride. We’re deeply grateful for everything they’ve brought to our communities and we look forward to cheering them on here for one more season,” Gov. Lamont said in a statement Friday evening. “Decisions around a team’s future are complex and driven by many factors, and it’s important not to oversimplify them. Connecticut will keep investing in strong communities, a growing economy, and a strong future for sports and entertainment and we welcome anyone who wants to join in that work.”
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Houston Rockets ownership had been in talks with the Connecticut Sun since last year, according to ESPN.
The move returns a WNBA team to Houston, where the Comets played in the league’s first year in 1997 until the franchise folded in 2008. The Comets won the first four WNBA championships.
Friday’s announcement comes as a blow to Connecticut, a state where women’s basketball has been a dominant part of its fabric for more than 30 years. UConn’s dominance for decades launched the popularity of the women’s game here long before women’s basketball gained momentum across the country in recent years.
No college team has had more players on the Connecticut Sun roster than UConn. They include Rebecca Lobo, Nykesha Sales, Tiffany Hayes, Asjha Jones, Moriah Jefferson, Jessica Moore, Svetlana Abrosimova, Kelly Farris, Kalana Greene, Renee Montgomery, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, Ketia Swanier, Morgan Tuck, Barbara Turner, Tamika Williams-Jeter, as well as current Sun team members Tina Charles, Bria Hartley, Aaliyah Edwards, and Olivia Nelson-Ododa.
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It is also yet another professional sports team packing up and moving out of the state.
The Hartford Whalers played their final game in Hartford in April 1997. Owner Peter Karmanos reached a deal to move the team to Raleigh, North Carolina. They renamed the team the Carolina Hurricanes. It’s something many fans still have not gotten over all of these years later.
The Sun news also comes just a week after the New York Islanders announced they will move their AHL affiliate from Bridgeport to Hamilton, Ontario next season.
