The Connecticut Sun are staying put for another season.
Ownership confirmed the team will remain at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., for the 2026 season amid swirling rumors that the franchise could sell or relocate.
The team sent an email to season-ticket holders Wednesday announcing the news. “We know there has been a lot of conversation in the media about the future of the team, but please know that we will be playing the 2026 season here at Mohegan Sun Arena,” read the email obtained by The Hartford Courant.
The Mohegan Tribe became the first Native American tribe to own a sports franchise upon buying the Sun for $10 million in 2003. For many years, Connecticut was successful, becoming the league’s first team to turn a profit and consistently making deep playoff runs, despite never winning a title.
But as other teams have invested in facilities, the Sun have come under intense scrutiny from players in recent seasons. After players shared a practice court with a two-year-old’s birthday party during the playoffs last year (members of the Mohegan Tribe get first access to the facility), all five of Connecticut’s starters left this offseason. After making the semifinals last year, the Sun have a league-worst three wins halfway through the season.
Ownership has hired the firm Allen & Company to explore selling and relocating the team, but has been tight-lipped about where those conversations stand.
The team has been linked to other New England destinations, including Providence and Boston. The governor of Rhode Island recently had a meeting and tour with an investor looking to bring the team to Providence. And earlier this month, the team sold out a game at Boston’s TD Garden for the second year in a row.
The WNBA recently announced three new expansion teams in Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia, all of which share ownership with NBA teams. An NBA owner whose bid wasn’t successful was Tilman Fertitta of the Rockets, though Commissioner Cathy Engelbert did shout out the Houston bid. The Houston Comets were a founding team in the WNBA and their four championships are still tied for the most by any franchise. With the WNBA already set on formal expansion teams through 2030, the Houston hopefuls could also make a play at buying and relocating the Sun.
The other immediate implication for the Sun is that staying in Connecticut will impact their chances of success in the near future. A large portion of WNBA players are set to become free agents after this season on the precipice of a new collective bargaining agreement and its higher salary offerings. In a recent poll by The Athletic, Connecticut was voted as one of the league’s worst-run organizations. It’s unlikely that many of those free agents will choose to sign with the Sun, which stands out for its lack of a dedicated training facility or plans to build one.
“Because of infrastructure,” wrote one player in the Athletic survey, while another said, “The travel and location (make it unappealing).”
