Fertittas to Purchase Connecticut Sun for Record $300 Million

The Fertitta family, owners of the Houston Rockets, are buying the WNBA's Connecticut Sun and relocating the team to Houston.

Mar. 27, 2026 at 11:34pm

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The Fertitta family, owners of the NBA's Houston Rockets, have agreed to purchase the WNBA's Connecticut Sun for a record $300 million. The Sun will play the 2026 season in Connecticut before relocating to Houston, where they are expected to be renamed the Comets, after the WNBA's original dynasty team.

Why it matters

This deal marks the return of the WNBA to Houston, a major market that lost its original franchise, the Comets, in 2008 amid financial struggles. The record-breaking $300 million sale price also underscores the growing value and popularity of the WNBA.

The details

The Mohegan Tribe, which has owned the Connecticut Sun since the team's inception in 2003, officially put the franchise up for sale last spring. The Fertittas' $300 million offer beat out two other bids valued at $325 million, one from a Boston group led by Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca and another from former Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry, who proposed moving the team to Hartford, Connecticut. The WNBA rejected both higher offers, emphasizing that only the league can make relocation decisions.

  • The Connecticut Sun will play the 2026 season in Connecticut before relocating to Houston.
  • The sale is expected to be officially announced on Monday, March 27, 2026.

The players

Tilman Fertitta

The owner of the Houston Rockets and a billionaire with a net worth of over $12 billion, according to Bloomberg. He is also the U.S. ambassador to Italy.

Mohegan Tribe

The Native American tribe that has owned the Connecticut Sun since the team's inception in 2003, becoming the first tribe to own a professional sports franchise.

Cathy Engelbert

The commissioner of the WNBA, who previously assured that Houston would be 'up next' for a new franchise when the league last expanded.

Dan Gilbert

The owner of the Cleveland Rockers, whose Rocket Entertainment Group was granted an expansion franchise that will begin play in 2028.

Steve Pagliuca

The leader of a Boston-based group that submitted a $325 million offer to purchase the Connecticut Sun.

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What they’re saying

“Houston would be up next, for sure”

— Cathy Engelbert, WNBA Commissioner

What’s next

The Connecticut Sun will play the 2026 season in Connecticut before relocating to Houston, where they are expected to be renamed the Comets.

The takeaway

This record-breaking $300 million sale of the Connecticut Sun to the Fertitta family marks the return of the WNBA to Houston, a major market that lost its original franchise over 15 years ago. The deal underscores the growing value and popularity of the WNBA, which continues to expand its footprint across the country.