A group led by Celtix Steve Pagliuka, owner of minority, has reached a deal to buy Connecticut sun A record for $ 325 million and transferring the team to Boston, a source confirmed several reports on Saturday, a source told ESPN’s Alexa Philipau.
The franchise will not play in Boston till 2027 season. A source told Associated Press that Pagliauka would also contribute $ 100 million for the team for a new practice facility in Boston.
The approval of the Sales League and its Board of Governors is pending.
The league said in a statement, “Relocation decisions are made by the WNBA Board of Governors and not by individual teams,” the League said in a statement.
The Sun has played regular-session games in TD Garden in the last two years, against one of which Cetleen Clarke And this Indiana fever In July.
The League has announced five expansion teams that will begin to play in the next five sessions with Portland (2026), Toronto (2026), Cleveland (2028), Detroit (2029) and Philadelphia (2030) joining the WNBA in the next five sessions. Each paid the then $ 250 million extension fee.
Nine other cities bid for expansion teams including Houston, which the League excluded as a team in the future, when it announced Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia in June. Boston did not.
The WNBA said, “No group of Boston had applied for a team at that time and was considered as comprehensive work as part of the expansion process in other cities, and is currently considered on Boston.” “Caltics’ potential ownership team has also reached the league office and asked that Boston gets strong views for the WNBA franchise at the appropriate time.”
The Sun is owned by the Mohegan tribe, who runs a casinino in UNCSville, Connecticut, where the team has played since 2003. The tribe bought the franchise for $ 10 million and transferred it from Orlando, Florida that year. The Connecticut franchise was the first in the league run by a non-NBA owner and became the first to turn on the profit.
Read a part of the statement released by Mohegan Leadership on Saturday, “Therefore, we cannot comment on any nuances, if someone, at this time, has sought investment or investment in connecticut sun.”
WNBA has experienced rapid growth in the last few sessions, and ownership groups are investing more in their teams, including players’ experiences. This practice has come through facilities. Surya League is one of the few teams that have not announced any scheme for a new training facility.
Connecticut practices either casino or a local community center in the arena.
Despite the lack of features, the Sun has been one of the most successful teams in the WNBA, creating Postsen in 16 sessions, including six direct semi -final appearances. But the team was given a tough competition in this offsen, from the last season, the entire five beginnings were left through either free agency or trade.
Connecticut ranks at 5–21 in WNBA. The team sent a letter to the season-ticket holders last week, stating that it would still play in casino next year.
The final team to be sold in WNBA was in 2021 when real estate investor Larry Gotesden led a group that bought a group Atlanta dream For less than $ 10 million. A year ago, Mark Davis paid around $ 2 million Las vegas ekka,
Information of Associated Press was used in this report.
