Connecticut Sun relocation finalized

The WNBA and NBA Board of Governors approved the sale and relocation of the Connecticut Sun to Tilman J. Fertitta on May 13, clearing the way for the franchise to move to Houston for the 2027 season, the league said. Fertitta is buying the team from the Mohegan Tribe after an agreement announced on March 30. Houston Rockets owner Fertitta had already said the franchise would revive the Houston Comets name, bringing a WNBA team back to Houston after the original Comets folded in 2008. The move ends a 24-season run for the Sun in Connecticut, where the franchise played at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville. The team’s website says the Sun will still play the 2026 season in Connecticut, including games in Hartford and Boston. WNBA materials published this week still list the Sun on the league schedule for the current season while the ownership transition proceeds. (wnba.com) ### When did the relocation become official? May 13 is the key date. The WNBA said its board and the NBA Board of Governors unanimously approved both the sale and the relocation, making the transaction official after weeks of public planning. The league identified Fertitta as the new owner and said the team would relocate to Houston in 2027. March 30 was the first formal step. (sun.wnba.com) Mohegan said then that it had reached an agreement with the Fertitta family to sell the franchise, but that league approval was still required. That condition is now satisfied. ### Who is buying the team, and what name will Houston use? Tilman J. Fertitta is the buyer through Fertitta Entertainment, according to statements from Mohegan, the WNBA and the Houston Rockets. (wnba.com) Fertitta already owns the Rockets, giving him control of both NBA and WNBA teams in Houston once the move is completed. (sun.wnba.com) Patrick Fertitta, the Rockets’ alternate governor, said in the Rockets announcement last month that the family planned to bring back the Houston Comets name. The Comets were one of the WNBA’s original franchises and won the league’s first four championships from 1997 through 2000 before the team later ceased operations. (sun.wnba.com) ### What happens to the Sun for the rest of 2026? The 2026 season remains in Connecticut. The Sun FAQ says the team will continue to play at Mohegan Sun Arena this year, with one game at TD Garden in Boston on August 18 and two games at PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford on May 30 and July 2. The club has also branded 2026 as its “Sunset Season” on its official site. (nba.com) That language, alongside ongoing ticket sales and schedule postings, indicates the franchise is operating normally for the current season while back-office transition work begins ahead of the move. That is an inference based on the team’s published schedule, FAQ and promotional materials. ### Why does the AWS deal keep appearing in coverage of this move? (sun.wnba.com) May 7 is the date the WNBA announced a separate multi-year partnership with Amazon Web Services focused on fan engagement, advanced analytics and data insights. The league said AWS will power new AI-driven experiences and serve as presenting partner of WNBA Live. AWS says it is the official cloud and cloud AI partner of the NBA and WNBA and will provide analytics and fan-experience tools across the leagues. (sun.wnba.com) SiliconANGLE, describing that agreement, said the platform is intended to make game data more visible to fans and broadcasters. The AWS deal is leaguewide, not specific to the Houston relocation, but it forms part of the business backdrop as the WNBA adds markets and rebuilds brands. (wnba.com) ### What comes next in Houston and Connecticut? The 2027 season is the next major milestone. The Rockets announcement said the relocated team is expected to begin play at Toyota Center at the start of that season under the Comets identity, pending the transition work that follows league approval. (aws.amazon.com) In Connecticut, the next public milestones are on the schedule already posted by the team, including the Hartford game on May 30 and the Boston game on August 18. The Sun’s FAQ says ticket information and season details remain available through the team’s official channels as the 2026 season continues. (sun.wnba.com) (nba.com)