The next owners of the Connecticut Sun might be … the state of Connecticut? In an attempt to keep the franchise from relocating, the state has submitted a proposal in which it would buy a minority share of the team, according to ESPN.
The proposal involved using funds from the state to purchase a minority share of the franchise. If the Mohegan tribe — which currently owns the Sun — took that offer, the state of Connecticut would keep the Sun from relocating.
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As part of the proposal, the state said it would hold games at Mohegan Sun Arena, where the Sun currently play, and PeoplesBank Arena, which hosts UConn basketball games. PeoplesBank Arena holds more fans and is undergoing renovations. The Sun already play occasional games at the stadium.
The state also said it would build and finance a new practice facility for the Sun in Hartford, Conn. that would be leased by the team.
While the ESPN report did not mention the exact cost of Connecticut’s minority stake in the franchise, it would need to exceed $250 million. That’s the reported price the league offered to pay to buy the Sun from the Mohegan family. If the league purchased the Sun, it would then reportedly sell the franchise to a group led by Tilman Fertitta, who would move the team to Houston.
The proposal by the state of Connecticut comes a month after the Mohegan tribe agreed to sell the Sun to a group led by Boston Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca for a reported $325 million. It was expected Pagliuca would move the team to Boston as part of the sale.
The league pushed back against that deal, stating that the WNBA board of governors makes and approves relocation decisions, not individuals. Representatives for the Mohegan tribe were expected to meet with the league to discuss multiple options for selling the team. One of those options involved selling a minority stake in the team, per an ESPN report. That meeting could happen in the coming weeks, a source told ESPN.
While the state’s proposal still needs to be reviewed and negotiated by the Mohegan tribe, Connecticut Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz told ESPN she believes the team deserves to remain in Connecticut.
“I do believe that the best place for the Connecticut Sun is Connecticut because we have this very fierce fan base for women basketball,” Connecticut Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz told ESPN. “We love the Huskies. We love watching the Sun. So many of our favorite players from UConn will be part of the Sun or have been part of the Sun, and we’ve seen that the Connecticut Sun players have been great community leaders and role models.”
Of all the options on the table, selling the Sun to the state of Connecticut might prove to be the path of least resistance for the Mohegan tribe. The league already indicated it might not approve a sale to a group that intends to relocate the Sun, potentially taking multiple offers off the table for the Mohegan tribe.
That could put the Mohegan tribe in a situation where selling directly to the league or to the state are the best options. If Connecticut can make an offer above the reported $250 million the league wants to pay for the Sun, the state could wind up being the best option on the table.
If the Sun agreed to sell a minority stake to the state, the deal would need to be approved by the league.
