Celtics Minority Owner Reaches $325M Deal to Buy Connecticut Sun

A group led by Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca has agreed to purchase the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun from the Mohegan Tribe for a record $325 million, with plans to relocate the team to Boston by the 2027 season. The deal includes an additional $100 million commitment to build a new practice facility in Boston. The Mohegan Tribe, which bought the franchise for $10 million in 2003 and moved it to Connecticut, decided to sell due to limitations of their current arena and the financial upside of the offer. The sale is pending approval by the WNBA and its Board of Governors, who have not yet approved the relocation. Boston did not apply for a WNBA expansion team in the recent expansion process, where five new teams were announced, but the Celtics ownership group has sought strong consideration for Boston in the future. This transaction sets a new benchmark for franchise values in women's professional sports and could accelerate Boston’s entry into the WNBA ahead of some planned expansions.