Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta’s possible purchase of the Connecticut Sun could bring the WNBA back to Houston, reviving the city’s rich league history.<\/p>\n
HOUSTON \u2014 Talks between Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta and the owner of the Connecticut Sun to\u00a0 bring the WNBA franchise to Houston have advanced, according to an ESPN report<\/a>.<\/p>\n ESPN reports the conversations have been \u201cpositive,\u201d and that Rockets ownership has recently increased its bid to a level the Sun may accept.<\/p>\n
A source cited by ESPN says a formal offer has been discussed, but there is no exclusivity agreement in place and no final decision has been made on the team\u2019s future. That means relocation to Houston remains a strong possibility, but not a done deal.<\/p>\n RELATED: 713 Day brings fans, hopes for Houston WNBA team<\/a><\/p>\n
League leadership has already signaled a desire to re-enter the Houston market. At a three-team expansion announcement in June, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert singled out Houston and Fertitta as \u201cup next\u201d and \u201cthe one we have our eye on,\u201d according to ESPN. Houston has been viewed as a leading candidate after missing out on the most recent round of expansion.<\/p>\n
The Mohegan Tribe has owned the Sun since 2003, when the organization purchased the team and moved it from Orlando to Uncasville, Connecticut. A sale to Rockets ownership would continue a trend of WNBA clubs aligning with NBA owners, deepening resources and market reach.<\/p>\n More than a year ago, the Sun began exploring investment options, initially looking at selling a limited partnership stake to help fund infrastructure upgrades. Houston was among the suitors that later pushed to buy the team outright, eventually matching the $250 million expansion fee paid this year by new ownership groups in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia, according to ESPN.<\/p>\n
In early July, Sun ownership agreed to sell the franchise for a WNBA-record $325 million to a group led by former Boston Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca, a deal that would have relocated the team to Boston. ESPN reports the WNBA stepped in, emphasizing that relocation decisions rest with the league\u2019s Board of Governors and reiterating that cities that already completed the expansion process would have priority over Boston.<\/p>\n After that, the league itself offered $250 million to purchase the Sun, a move that would have allowed the WNBA to steer the team to a market of its choosing. There was widespread belief at the time that such a move could clear the way for a future relocation to Houston after the city did not receive an expansion team in June.<\/p>\n
More recently, Sun ownership has examined a possible arrangement involving funds tied to the state of Connecticut taking a minority stake in the franchise, ESPN reports. Those discussions have lost momentum in recent weeks, leaving the team\u2019s long-term home unresolved.<\/p>\n The hope around the league is to settle the franchise\u2019s future before WNBA free agency, when nearly all veteran players are set to hit the market. The exact timing of free agency remains in flux as the league and players\u2019 union negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement ahead of a Jan. 9 deadline.<\/p>\n
A move would bring the WNBA back to a city with deep roots in the league\u2019s history. The Houston Comets were one of the WNBA\u2019s original franchises and captured the first four league championships from 1997 to 2000. Led by legends like Sheryl Swoopes, Cynthia Cooper and Tina Thompson, the Comets became a dynasty before folding after the 2008 season.<\/p>\n ESPN<\/a> is the original source of the reporting referenced in this story.<\/p>\n
\nTalks progressing, but no deal yet <\/p>\n
\nWNBA interest in Houston\u2019s return <\/p>\n
\nConnecticut Sun ownership and sale efforts <\/p>\n
\nBlocked Boston move and WNBA\u2019s $250M offer <\/p>\n
\nLatest Connecticut talks and timeline questions <\/p>\n
\nWhat it would mean for Houston <\/p>\n