Sun exploring new investment, possible sale, relo

Connecticut Sun president Jennifer Rizzotti said Tuesday that the team's ownership radical is "exploring each options to strategically put successful the team," including a imaginable sale.

The quality was archetypal reported connected Monday by Sportico, which said the franchise hired concern slope Allen & Co. to behaviour the probe and that the "expectation is simply a power merchantability and apt franchise relocation."

The Sun person played successful Uncasville, Connecticut since 2003, erstwhile the Mohegan people bought the franchise for $10 cardinal and relocated the squad from Orlando.

Mohegan was the archetypal non-NBA proprietor of a WNBA team, and the franchise became the archetypal successful the league to crook a profit.

The WNBA has not had a squad relocate since 2017, erstwhile the San Antonio Stars relocated to Las Vegas nether caller ownership and became the Aces.

In a connection provided to EPSN, Mohegan enactment said: "As an organization, Mohegan is consistently evaluating strategical options, investments and superior expenditures. The CT Sun has had monumental changes implicit the past 18 months and Mohegan is precise arrogant of the success, accrued involvement and what remains to beryllium specified unthinkable assemblage interaction disconnected the tribunal arsenic well. The WNBA wide has besides seen immense maturation successful viewership and interest. These are fantastic trends for what is an astonishing sport, with highly dedicated and talented women.

"Mohegan remains committed to the team's continued occurrence which includes looking astatine each strategical options successful the champion involvement of the CT Sun, MTGA and WNBA."

Rizzotti called Mohegan's determination the determination of "responsible concern owners" and that "it's much astir being accordant astir however they're evaluating each of their businesses, the Connecticut Sun being 1 of them."

The Sun president added determination hasn't been a determination made, oregon a acceptable timeline for one, "other than that they privation to marque definite they're doing what's champion for the enactment arsenic good arsenic the WNBA."

Rizzotti confirmed "all options," including looking astatine perchance selling number stakes successful the squad similar the Seattle Storm did precocious to rise superior that helped concern their caller signifier facility, stay connected the table. Other possibilities see a franchise merchantability wherever the squad remains successful the aforesaid metropolis oregon state, similar what happened with the Atlanta Dream successful 2021.

When asked if Mohegan tin inactive enactment a WNBA contender, Rizzotti said yes.

"I've been present for 4 years. I deliberation the people tin enactment immoderate they want, immoderate determination they make," she said. "They bash everything archetypal class. They pridefulness themselves connected impermanent acquisition and attraction to item and existent concern successful the close ways.

"If the people decides they privation to ain this team, they're arsenic competitive, I think, arsenic immoderate ownership radical successful the league."

Mohegan's determination comes arsenic the WNBA is experiencing accelerated growth, and arsenic ownership groups person been progressively expected to double-down connected investment, including successful the subordinate experience. That has chiefly manifested successful franchises gathering dedicated signifier facilities, creating a league-wide conflict betwixt teams.

Connecticut is 1 of the teams that inactive hasn't announced plans for a grooming facility, with players presently practicing astatine Mohegan Sun Arena -- their 8,910 capableness location tribunal -- oregon the Mohegan Tribal Community and Government Center, which is besides unfastened to tribal members.

The Sun person been 1 of the W's astir palmy teams connected the court, making the playoffs successful 16 of their 22 seasons successful Connecticut and boasting six consecutive semifinal appearances. But 2025 was acceptable to beryllium a caller epoch for the franchise aft losing its full starting lineup this offseason owed to escaped bureau oregon trades.

Rizzotti said the franchise "has been a desirable determination to play" and that "there's a crushed we've been bully for 2 decades," feeling that the roster turnover it experienced this offseason was much a blip than a recurring problem.

"We're going to determination into this franchise arsenic agelong arsenic it's here," Rizzotti said. "And if it ends up not being the case, past we'll interest astir that erstwhile the clip comes."

While the franchise's semipermanent presumption remains unclear, the squad volition absorption connected preparing for the play up of them, which kicks disconnected Sunday astatine location against the Washington Mystics.

Rizzotti and manager Rachid Meziane echoed a shared effort to power what the squad tin control.

"They person their job, and our occupation is to enactment the champion merchandise connected the floor," said Tina Charles, who was drafted No. 1 wide by the Sun successful 2010 earlier returning to play for the enactment this offseason. "We spot that they're gonna bash their jobs and marque the close determination that volition payment the enactment and the players and the coaches and the unit moving forward."