A group led by Boston Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca is purchasing the Connecticut Sun for a record-breaking $325 million. The purchase price includes an additional $100 million towards building a team-specific practice facility, with plans to relocate the team to Boston as soon as 2027.
The WNBA Board of Governors must approve any sale, which would bring an NBA background to the league during expansion. This marks another milestone for the WNBA, following expansion teams in Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia who paid a reported $250 million each.
The move comes after six seasons of advancing to at least the WNBA semifinals, but the team experienced significant roster turnover this offseason. The Sun’s new ownership may aim to address these issues, bringing stability to the organization.
Pagliuca, 70, has experience in sports management as the former co-chairman of Bain Capital and owner of the Italian Serie A club Atalanta. He previously expressed interest in the sale of the Celtics but was unsuccessful after they were sold for $6.1 billion.
The Sun’s parent company, Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority (MTGA), will continue to run their process of looking at investment opportunities while keeping the team’s future uncertain until any sale is approved by the WNBA Board of Governors.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6532352/2025/08/02/connecticut-sun-wnba-sale-boston-celtics-minority-owner