WNBA to Boston on horizon? Pagliuca reportedly reaches deal to buy Sun

The Connecticut Solar is likely to be calling Boston residence quickly.

Celtics minority proprietor Steve Pagliuca has agreed to a deal to buy the Connecticut Solar from the Mohegan Tribe and plans to maneuver the franchise to Boston by 2027, The Boston Globe‘s Gary Washburn reported Saturday.

The acquisition, which is pending league approval, is price $325 million, whereas the Pagliuca-led group plans to place down one other $100 million to construct a apply facility in Boston, Washburn added in his report. TD Backyard would reportedly be the workforce’s main residence area, whereas video games may very well be performed in Windfall to keep away from conflicts with the Bruins and Celtics.

Boston has efficiently hosted two Solar video games over the past two WNBA seasons, with the TD Backyard promoting out every recreation. Nonetheless, there was some skepticism over whether or not Boston would get a WNBA workforce within the close to future. It didn’t make it bid for the latest spherical of growth, with 5 extra groups becoming a member of the league within the close to future.

It additionally didn’t seem {that a} relocation of the Solar to Boston was within the works, both, although the Mohegan Tribe was seeking to promote the franchise. A spokesperson for Boston Ladies’s Basketball Companions, a gaggle shaped in 2025 to try to assist Boston land a WNBA franchise, told Washburn in July that the Mohegan Tribe was searching for a purchaser that might maintain the Solar in Connecticut.

Nonetheless, Pagliuca, who wasn’t part of Boston Ladies’s Basketball Companions, wound up making a proposal that might be the best ever for a WNBA franchise. The WNBA had hoped for Boston to get a franchise through growth in 2033 moderately than getting one via relocation, in accordance with Washburn.

“Relocation selections are made by the WNBA Board of Governors and never by particular person groups,” the WNBA instructed Washburn about Saturday’s report. “As a part of our most up-to-date growth course of, through which three new franchises have been awarded to Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia on June 30, 2025, 9 further cities additionally utilized for WNBA groups and stay below energetic consideration.

“No teams from Boston utilized for a workforce at the moment and people different cities stay into account primarily based on the in depth work they did as a part of the growth course of and at present have precedence over Boston.  Celtics’ potential proprietor Invoice Chisholm has additionally reached out to the league workplace and requested that Boston obtain sturdy consideration for a WNBA franchise on the applicable time.”

The Solar are within the midst of a awful season, holding a league-worst 5-21 report as of Saturday. There had additionally been long-term questions over how viable it was for them to maintain enjoying in Uncasville, Connecticut, as they play their residence video games at Mohegan Solar.

Previous to their stumbles in 2025, although, the Solar had been one of many high franchises within the league. That they had an eight-year playoff look streak coming into the season, reaching the WNBA Finals twice in that span. They’ve reached the WNBA Finals 4 occasions, however have but to win a title.

The franchise really started in Orlando, being added as an growth workforce in 1999. The Mohegan Tribe purchased the franchise from the Orlando Magic forward of the 2003 season, relocating them to Connecticut proper after.