The WNBA approved the Connecticut Sun's relocation to Houston, ending the franchise's 25-year run at Mohegan Sun Arena and marking the league's first team move since the Tulsa Shock relocated to Dallas in 2010. The approval came as part of the WNBA's 13-team expansion framework, which added Golden State and Toronto franchises for the 2025 season and Portland for 2026. Houston becomes the fourth expansion market cleared in 18 months.
The Sun, owned by Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment since the franchise's 2003 arrival from Orlando, played at the 10,299-seat Mohegan Sun Arena. The move leaves New York Liberty as the only original WNBA franchise still operating in its 1997 launch market. Houston previously hosted the Comets from 1997 to 2008, a run that included four consecutive championships and the league's highest-ever season attendance average of 16,285 in 1999. The Comets folded after ownership disputes; the market has been vacant for 17 years.
The relocation solves two problems. Houston's venue infrastructure improved substantially since 2008: the 18,300-seat Toyota Center, home to the Rockets, underwent a $150 million renovation completed in 2023. The Sun's Connecticut attendance averaged 6,847 in 2024, 23rd percentile league-wide, despite consecutive playoff appearances. Mohegan Gaming's casino-resort model, which bundled WNBA tickets with hotel packages, worked when the league was smaller. With median franchise valuations now estimated at $85-100 million, the Sun needed a metro footprint. Houston's 7.5 million population is 12 times larger than the Uncasville-Montville CSA.
The move also tests the WNBA's revenue-sharing and territorial balance. Houston sits 240 miles from Dallas, raising questions about media-market overlap as the league negotiates its next broadcast deal. The current $200 million annual package with ESPN, Amazon, and CBS expires after 2025. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert told investors in November that the league expects a "multiple" increase, with expansion fees alone generating $150 million from the three incoming franchises. A fourth Texas team could strengthen regional streaming bundles but dilute per-team allocations if national rights don't scale proportionally.
Ownership structure remains undisclosed. Mohegan Gaming has not confirmed whether it will retain majority control or sell to a Houston-based group. The franchise's $25 million purchase price in 2003 looks efficient now: Golden State's expansion fee was pegged at $50 million, and Portland's at an estimated $65 million. If Mohegan sells outright, a Houston buyer would acquire a playoff-caliber roster—led by 2024 All-Star DeWanna Bonner and Coach of the Year finalist Stephanie White—without paying expansion-draft penalties.
The Sun finished 28-12 in 2024, advancing to the second round before losing to Minnesota. Core players Bonner, Alyssa Thomas, and DiJonai Carrington are under contract through 2025. White's deal runs through 2026. The roster continuity gives a Houston owner immediate competitiveness, a contrast to expansion teams that typically endure 3-4 rebuilding seasons. The question is whether Connecticut's fanbase, small but loyal, follows digitally or simply stops watching. The Sun sold 82% of available seats in 2024; the issue was capacity, not commitment.
Watch for the ownership announcement, expected by mid-February, and the venue confirmation. Toyota Center is the obvious home, but Houston also has the 8,500-seat Delmar Stadium, which hosted international soccer and could offer a lower-cost, WNBA-specific buildout. The league's 2025 schedule releases in early March. The Sun's relocation becomes effective immediately, meaning Houston branding for next season. Stephanie White's recruiting pitch just got a bigger airport.
The takeaway
WNBA's first franchise move in 15 years trades Connecticut's small-market loyalty for Houston's **7.5 million** population and **18,300-seat** arena.
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