Connecticut AG Investigates WNBA Blocking Connecticut Sun Sale

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong has launched an inquiry into the WNBA's handling of the potential sale of the Connecticut Sun, expressing concerns that the league may be blocking legitimate offers in an anticompetitive manner and demanding the team be sold back to the league at below market value. Tong's letter to the WNBA requests extensive documentation related to the sale, including operating agreements and team valuations, as the league's Board of Governors must approve any sale despite the Mohegan Tribe's ownership of the Sun. Offers exceeding $300 million, including proposals to relocate the team to Boston or Hartford, have been reportedly rejected by the WNBA, which prefers to prioritize markets involved in previous expansion processes and has offered to purchase the team for $250 million. Connecticut officials, including Governor Ned Lamont and Senator Richard Blumenthal, have voiced support for keeping the team in-state, with Lamont proposing state pension fund investment to acquire a minority stake. The state's legal and political authorities are prepared to fight to keep the franchise in Connecticut amid ongoing tensions with the league. The situation underscores broader issues of league control, market priorities, and local efforts to retain the WNBA franchise.