After 24 seasons at the Mohegan Sun Arena, the Connecticut Sun will move to Houston, Texas and become the Houston Comets beginning in 2027, following a $300 million sale of the team. Despite the deal, some are trying to block the sale, questioning if antitrust practices took place during the process.
U.S. Senator, Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut’s senior senator and former state attorney general, has called on the Department of Justice to investigate the sale process, alleging that the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) interfered with negotiations between The Mohegan Tribe, owners of the team since 2003, and interested buyers.
“Last week’s announcement that the team had been sold to Houston for $25 million less than the State of Connecticut’s offer because of the WNBA’s intervention demands federal,” said Blumenthal in a press release. “The WNBA is not exempt from antitrust laws and their enormous market power as the only women’s professional basketball league in the United States means that it should face scrutiny whenever it uses that power to harm competitive processes.” Last Monday, Blumenthal also wrote a letter to acting U.S. Assistant Attorney General Omeed A. Assefi urging an investigation.
“Over the past twenty years, the Sun have become one of the league’s most consistently successful teams both on and off the court, appearing in four WNBA finals, growing a loyal fan base, and benefiting from the culture of basketball excellence of the UConn Huskies,” he said. “The WNBA explicitly asserted that it would control the team’s sale, stating relocation decisions are made by the WNBA Board of Governors and not by individual teams. Indeed, the WNBA’s enormous market power as the only women’s professional basketball league in the United States means that it should face scrutiny whenever it uses that market power to harm competitive processes. Here, the league’s intervention was apparently so decisive that it potentially foreclosed more valuable offers. The price paid by Fertitta Entertainment—$25 million less than two bids that would have kept the team in New England—shows the WNBA’s power to dictate market outcomes.”
Others also want the situation to be looked into or felt disappointed with the move. Lyndsey Troy, a junior marine biology student, said, “If there is any suspicion, then I think it should be properly investigated, however I know it’s natural for teams to move every now and then and it’s a bit disappointing to have the Suns go so suddenly. But if there is any malpractice or any questionable malpractice then it should be investigated.”
Will Whalen, a sophomore communications major said, “It’s always tough to see local teams move because they become part of the community that brings people together.” Whalen mentioned a prior experience where a Triple-A baseball team relocated miles away from their home community.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong has expressed disappointment in the move and has also previously requested and received documents regarding the sale.
“Connecticut is the heart and soul of women’s basketball. There would be no WNBA without the players, coaches and dedicated fan base in and from Connecticut,” he said.
Market manipulation is an illegal practice that the WNBA is alleged to have taken part in when negotiating the sale favoring one market or buyer over another. The practice can include lying about a seller or buyer, or doing matched orders. It is also alleged that a forced or restricted sale took place, which is only legal under court orders and other legal activity.
The sale also follows various rejected offers and proposals, including one from Boston Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca that would’ve moved the team to Boston while keeping them in the New England region, and from Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry, who proposed to relocate the team to Hartford. The sale also comes amid the state losing another notable sports franchise. The Bridgeport Islanders from the American Hockey League are set to leave the Total Mortgage Arena and relocate to Hamilton, Ontario.
Blumenthal and Connecticut’s other U.S. Senator Chris Murphy joined a coalition of lawmakers in congress to introduce a bill known as the “Home Team Act.” The bill, fronted by U.S. House Representative Greg Casar of Texas and U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, would require local communities to have the opportunity to buy a team if they go up for sale before any consideration of relocation. If this bill were to be passed and signed into law by President Trump, it would allow potential buyers in Connecticut to have top priority in this case.
