Tilman Fertitta's Group Agrees To Buy Connecticut Sun For $300 Million, Relocate To Houston

Big development dominates the horizon: Tilman Fertitta’s group is reported to be acquiring the Connecticut Sun for a record $300 million and relocating the franchise to Houston, a move that would reintroduce the WNBA to the city in 2027 after a final Connecticut season in 2026.

“According to ESPN's Alexa Philippou, sources said the team was sold for $300 million”

ABC13 Houston

ESPN (Western Mainstream) frames the sale as a $300 million transaction with relocation to Houston in 2027, and notes the Sun will play one last season in Uncasville before crossing to Texas.

ABC13 Houston

The New York Times (Western Mainstream) corroborates by stating the Fertitta family will move the Sun to Houston, with the sale price placed at $300 million.

Hartford Courant (Local Western) adds the Sun will relocate ahead of the 2027 season, effectively ending the Mohegan Tribe’s two-decade run in Connecticut.

CBS Sports (Western Mainstream) emphasizes that the move hinges on league approval, reporting that the Suns are set to relocate to Houston following the sale.

Sports Business Journal (Other) highlights that the Mohegan Tribe’s agreement to sell for $300M would constitute a “record-breaking purchase of a WNBA team,” with relocation to Houston central to the deal.

CT Sun would complete the 2026 season in Uncasville, then relocate to the Toyota Center in Houston for the 2027 campaign, potentially reviving the Houston Comets identity.

ESPN describes relocation decisions as belonging to the WNBA Board of Governors rather than individual teams.

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The New York Times notes the move to Houston is contingent on league approval.

Hartford Courant reiterates that the sale and move require Board authorization.

CBS Sports confirms the sale would be subject to WNBA Board approval.

Front Office Sports adds that Rockets ownership has been in substantive talks to buy and relocate the Sun, signaling governance and timing considerations.

Context matters: the Sun’s sale follows a fierce bidding arc that exposed the league’s preference for NBA-owned franchises and the league’s own governance over relocation.

“WNBA's Connecticut Sun set to relocate to Houston following $300 million sale, per reports The deal between the Sun and the Fertitta family is subject to approval by the WNBA's Board of Governors The Fertitta family has agreed to a deal to purchase the Connecticut Sun for a record-breaking $300 million and move the WNBA franchise to Houston, according to reports from Paper City Magazine and ESPN”

CBS Sports

A high-profile bid from Steve Pagliuca for $325 million to move the Sun to Boston was blocked by the league, a decision that underscored the Board’s control and expansion priorities.

The New York Times notes Pagliuca’s Boston bid was blocked, while CBS Sports references the Boston relocation attempt and league intervention.

Deadspin adds that the Rockets had moved into substantive talks amid a broader pattern of NBA-affiliated ownership gaining WNBA footholds.

Swish Appeal emphasizes relocation decisions rest with the Board, not individual owners.

Sports Business Journal documents the broader expansion dynamics and the sizeable expansion fees that have accompanied new ownerships in recent years.

Market and precedent implications loom large: if the Fertitta sale clears, Houston regains a WNBA presence after the Comets’ 2008 dissolution, reinforcing a trend of NBA-owned entities guiding WNBA franchises.

The New York Times frames the Houston return as a historical revival tied to Fertitta’s influence.

Deadspin

The Houston Chronicle underscores the Comets’ legacy and the market’s historical strength for women's basketball.

ESPN highlights that this is the latest example of WNBA expansion and ownership growth by NBA-adjacent groups.

Sports Business Journal situates the move within expansion-fee dynamics and the league’s broader strategy to stabilize franchise economics via NBA-linked ownership.

Hartford Courant notes the deal’s scale—$300 million—marking the largest WNBA sale on record.

Uncertainty remains about timing, formalities, and future governance: as of late March 2026, multiple outlets indicate the deal is not officially announced and requires Board of Governors approval, with talk of exclusivity and closing timelines still unresolved.

“The Connecticut Sun franchise is being sold to the Fertitta family to bring the WNBA back to Houston, sources confirmed to ESPN on Friday”

ESPN

Front Office Sports reports that no exclusivity agreement has been signed and that formal offers may still be forthcoming, adding urgency to a decision that hinges on league governance.

ESPN

The New York Times notes that the deal involves briefs to the board and could depend on the timing and conditions of relocation approval.

Deadspin emphasizes that discussions are ongoing and no formal bid has been finalized.

Hartford Courant reminds readers that the league must approve both the sale and the move, a step that could influence free-agent planning and future facility investments.

CBS Sports reiterates that a final resolution depends on the Board’s approval and official league sign-off.