A bid to move the Connecticut Sun to Hartford has been months in the making, according to Hartford’s Mayor Arunan Arulampalam, who says an investor group has made an offer.
“We have a long history of women’s basketball fandom here in the state and in this city,” said Arulampalam. “It makes so much sense for them to play right here in Hartford.”
The Mohegan Tribe recently received a bid to move the team to Boston led by Boston Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca.
“I can’t speak to where the team’s going to go, but if Boston was an option, it’s hard to argue that they’re not a city that’s viable for a WNBA franchise,” said team president Jennifer Rizzotti at a news conference.
“The popularity of the WNBA has exploded at this point,” said UNH Sport Management Faculty Member Rob Holub. “You’re seeing an investment and also people looking to put their money and investment into WNBA teams.”
The Boston group’s offer is reportedly for $325 million and would provide $100 million for the team to build its own practice facility. The Sun does not currently have its own separate practice facility.
“Having that intentional investment is really, really, really important to the players and realty important to the league long term,” said Quinnipiac University Media Studies Assistant Professor Brittani Webb.
Mayor Arulampalam says there’s been talks to build supporting facilities if a Hartford bid is approved.
“We’d love to build that practice facility right here in our downtown, build offices and housing for the players and have them play at PeoplesBank Arena,” he said.
Governor Ned Lamont also confirmed he’s working closely with the investor group in hopes of keeping the team in the state.
“We’re going to do what it takes to keep the Sun right here in Connecticut,” Lamont said.
The Sun have plans to play at Mohegan Sun Arena next season.
