The WNBA Board of Governors voted unanimously to approve the Connecticut Sun's relocation to Houston, effective after the 2026 season. The franchise, which has played at Mohegan Sun Arena since 2003, becomes the league's first team to relocate in 16 years—the last was the Detroit Shock's move to Tulsa in 2010.
The Sun will finish two more seasons in Connecticut before the Houston launch. The sale price was not disclosed, but comparable WNBA franchise transactions in recent years have ranged from $50 million to $85 million. The new ownership group has not been named, though league sources indicate a formal announcement is expected within 30 days. Houston has been without a WNBA franchise since the Houston Comets folded in 2008 after failing to secure new ownership.
This matters because Houston is the fourth-largest U.S. media market and has demonstrated corporate appetite for women's sports. The Comets won four consecutive WNBA championships from 1997 to 2000, drawing an average of 10,000 fans per game at their peak. Modern Houston presents a stronger sponsor base—Shell, Chevron, and Baker Hughes all maintain headquarters there—and the city has added 1.3 million residents since the Comets disbanded. The Sun averaged 6,200 fans per game in 2025 at the 10,000-seat Mohegan Sun Arena. Connecticut's market ranks 30th nationally.
The Sun franchise has value. Connecticut reached the WNBA Finals in 2019 and 2022, losing both times. The team has made the playoffs in 19 of 21 seasons since arriving from Orlando in 2003. Coach Stephanie White is under contract through 2027. Two-time All-Star Alyssa Thomas, the franchise's leading rebounder, has one year remaining on her deal. The Sun's player roster will transfer to Houston; league rules require relocated franchises to honor existing player contracts.
The Mohegan Tribe, which has owned the Sun since 2003, will retain rights to negotiate a future WNBA expansion franchise if the league adds teams beyond its current 12. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in March the league is evaluating expansion to 14 or 16 teams by 2028. Mohegan Sun Arena will lose 20 event dates annually. The tribe has not commented on alternative programming.
Houston's venue is the immediate question. The 18,000-seat Toyota Center, home of the NBA Rockets, is the presumed landing spot. Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta declined to comment on WNBA ownership involvement when asked in April, but his real-estate arm, Landry's Inc., has sponsored women's basketball at the University of Houston since 2019. A formal venue announcement is expected by July, when the league's 2027 schedule framework is finalized.
The move accelerates WNBA realignment toward larger markets. The league added Golden State in 2025 and has active expansion discussions in Philadelphia, Nashville, and Portland. Connecticut's departure leaves the Sun Belt with one franchise (Atlanta) and consolidates the league's footprint in top-15 metro areas. Sponsor renewal cycles will now center on Houston's corporate base, not Connecticut's casino economy.
The Sun's 2026 season will function as a goodbye tour. Mohegan Sun Arena is already taking season-ticket deposits for what it is marketing as the "final season." Houston's inaugural game is tentatively set for May 2027.
The takeaway
Connecticut exits after 21 seasons; Houston reclaims WNBA presence with corporate base, venue capacity, and **1.3 million** new residents since 2008.
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