Why is the Connecticut Sun Sale Stuck at a Standstill?

As billion-dollar bids surface, the WNBA appears to favor NBA-affiliated ownership and preferred markets raising questions for independent clubs and the league’s growth strategy.

Sep 6, 2025; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; Connecticut Sun guard Marina Mabrey (3) reacts after a three point basket by guard Saniya Rivers (22) against the Phoenix Mercury in the first half at Mohegan Sun Arena. David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images

The WNBA’s handling of the proposed sale of the Connecticut Sun is raising eyebrows and shining a light on the league’s strategic practices, or rather, lack thereof. When a record-setting bid of $325 million emerged to purchase the franchise, many expected a milestone moment for women’s sports. 

The WNBA is blocking a record $325M sale of the Connecticut Sun. Why? Because they don’t want “regular” billionaires, only NBA billionaires.

Independent owners like the Mohegan Tribe helped to save this league when NBA teams bailed. Now the league is blocking their $325M sale of… pic.twitter.com/J3o1zcQSD5

— Quita Loves Sports (@quitalovesports) August 20, 2025

Instead, the deal now sits in limbo.

Record-Setting Bid Blocked

In August 2025, a group led by Steve Pagiluca offered $325 million to acquire the Sun and relocate them to Boston. Additionally, partnered with $100 million practice facility investment, according to AP News.

Yet, the WNBA publicly emphasized that relocation and ownership changes are subject to approval by its Board of Governors, not individual teams. 

While this offer remains on the table, another Connecticut-based group matched the $325 million offer with the intent to keep the team in the state. Despite the difference in visions, the league reportedly refused to approve either transaction.

The Reason for Blocking the Deal

At the heart of the controversy is control. The WNBA’s position appears to hinge less on valuation than on strategic placement and ownership pedigree. Analysts note the league seems reluctant to approve independent ownership or relocation to markets not identified in recent expansion efforts.

One prominent suggestion is that the league prefers buyers with direct relationships to NBA ownership. The model is to sideline “regular” billionaires who don’t also own NBA franchises. The Sun, historically indepedent of NBA team ownership, ultimately has proven to be a structural disadvantage in this framework.

Implications for the Rest of the League

Future WNBA franchises in Chicago, Las Vegas, Seattle or Atlanta, the Sun’s predicament should raise a red flag. Ownership changes and relocations, once relatively straightforward in the men’s game, are now questioned in the women's.

However, with the women’s game, there are far more details that must be taken into consideration. For example, market size, proximity to other sports franchises, ownership type, and alignment with broader league goals.

If a $325 million offer can be stalled under these conditions, it suggests that the WNBA isn’t purely driven by maximizing sale price. Instead, market control and ownership ecosystem appear to carry equal or greater weight. In other words, future investors will have to navigate through not only financials, but league politics as well.

What’s Next?

State officials are taking notice, and Connecticut’s Attorney General has launched an inquiry into the league’s role and whether the Sun’s owners are being unduly pressured. Meanwhile, potential buyers may be forced to wait, adjust plans, or rethink their entry strategy into women’s sports ownership.

For the WNBA, how this resolves may set a new precedent. The outcome may not only determine the Sun’s fate, but shape the future of franchise transactions across women’s sports. 

Will they reward the highest bidder investors or continue prioritizing select markets and ownership?

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