A change of scenery might be in the cards for one WNBA team. Word is spreading that the Connecticut Sun could be Boston-bound by 2027, with details emerging from the Boston Globe. This prospective relocation is linked to a possible acquisition by Steve Pagliuca, a minority owner of the Boston Celtics, who has reportedly struck a deal with the Mohegan Tribe to acquire the Sun for a substantial $325 million — a record-setting valuation for a women’s sports franchise in the United States.
Reports suggest Pagliuca also has plans to invest $100 million in constructing a new training center in Boston. The Sun would host their games at TD Garden, a venue where they’ve already played two games in recent years, both of which resulted in sold-out crowds. As mentioned by Washburn, the Celtics are supposedly “comfortable” with the Sun sharing TD Garden, though the Sun might need to schedule early-season contests in 2027 in Providence, Rhode Island, to avoid any timetable conflicts.
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Further details from the Boston Globe indicate that the Mohegan Tribe had been considering selling the team, with the $325 million offer acting as a strong motivator. The successful turnout for the Sun’s games in Boston also influenced the Tribe’s decision to sell to a Boston-based ownership group. This relocation would place the franchise a little over 100 miles away, in the adjacent state of Massachusetts.
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey shared her thoughts with the Globe, stating, “I’ve been advocating for a WNBA team in Boston for quite some time; I believe it would be a positive addition to the city. And that would benefit the WNBA, as demonstrated by the back-to-back sellout crowds at TD Garden. I’ve been pursuing this for a while now. I also believe it would be advantageous for the Connecticut Sun to relocate to Boston and represent the entirety of New England. We stand as the central hub of New England and the birthplace of basketball. I think it’s a logical fit.”
Despite these initial developments, a few obstacles remain regarding the Sun’s potential transition to Boston. The WNBA and its board of governors must first give the green light to the sale. Should the league prioritize maintaining the franchise in Connecticut and instead consider Boston as a future expansion market, this could disrupt the current plans. Washburn reports that the Mohegan Tribe has indicated its willingness to cooperate with the league should it mandate a sale to a buyer within the state.
“Decisions about relocation are under the purview of the WNBA Board of Governors, not individual teams,” the WNBA communicated in a statement to the Globe. “As part of our most recent expansion strategy, which saw the addition of three new franchises in Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia on June 30, 2025, nine other cities also submitted applications for WNBA teams and are still being actively considered.
“As no groups from Boston applied for a team during that period, these other cities retain their priority based on the significant effort they invested in the expansion process. Bill Chisholm, the prospective owner of the Celtics, has also been in touch with the league office, requesting that Boston be given serious consideration for a WNBA franchise at the appropriate time.”
If the sale and subsequent move come to pass, Boston will join a growing list of cities with new WNBA teams. The league has identified Portland, Toronto, Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia as future expansion locations, with these developments expected to unfold over the next half-decade.
