Connecticut, Connecticut – Connecticut Suns president Jennifer Rizzotti confirmed Sunday that the team plans to play at Mohegan Sun Arena in 2026 after a deal struck Saturday when the company reached a Boston-based investor group to buy the franchise and move in the mid-2027 season.
Rizzotti reiterated the Mohegan Tribe sales, “not the finish line yet.” Sales and potential relocation to Boston were approved by the WNBA Council.
Meanwhile, the Suns have opened the season ticket update process for next season, which will continue on August 22.
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“Based on the news that we’re here next year, we’ve got a lot of positive feelings from our fans,” Rizzotti said. “I know there’s still uncertainty in the future, but our big fans, they’re excited to see this team grow and make the second year of the roster and see where we can go. If it ends up being our last year here, we’ll make sure we brag.”
ESPN confirmed Saturday that the group led by Steve Pagliuca, minority owner of the NBA Boston Celtics, agreed to buy the Suns for $325 million and contributed $100 million to a practice facility. The sale price will be the record of the women's sports franchise.
The Rizzotti and Mohegan tribes are restricted due to not disclosing the agreement, but the Sun President said any proposals must be placed before the coalition, which then the coalition must present to the board.
The Mohegan tribe originally bought a franchise in 2003 at Orlando Miracle and moved it to Uncasville, making it the first non-NBA owner of the WNBA team.
Rizzotti said Mohegan Tribe was responsible for “decades of value in WNBA investments before owning a WNBA team”, which she said was reflected in the organization's huge success in the organization: 17 playoff appearances, including eight straight times, and four WNBA Finals.
However, the Sun is one of the few teams that have not yet established or announced the completion of a dedicated practice facility program. The team is currently practicing at Mohegan Sun Arena or the public space Mohegan Tribal Center. Although the size of the WNBA arena ranges from about 4,000 to 18,000, the Suns are at the lower end of the range with only less than 9,000 fans.
Rizzotti believes that the Mohegan tribe is “consider” in the direction the league is heading and argues that it “trying to do the best for this team and do the best for the entire league”. She has met with different ownership groups in recent months and said the Moshigan tribe has done a thorough job of reviewing potential new owners.
“Are they past?” Rizzoti said. “They know this in some ways, but we never suffer from loyalty and commitment, loyal fans and people who really care about the players who care about us.”
The Boston Globe, which first reported the deal, also reported that the alliance could force the Mohegan Tribe to buyers in Connecticut and hopes to provide Boston with an expansion team in 2033.
“I can't imagine why no one would think it would be a viable option if a great city had an investment group at the right level,” Rizzotti said.
The Suns sold out at TD Gardens in Boston in 2024 and 2025, and Rizzotti said her conversations with players across the league showed they prefer to play in a larger market with more opportunities than Uncasville.
“Relocation decisions are made by the WNBA board of directors, not by individual teams,” the WNBA said in a statement Saturday, adding that cities submitting expansion bids are preferred over Boston in the process.