Steve Pagliuca is preparing to exit his role within the Boston Celtics ownership group, but he has plans to introduce another professional basketball team to Boston. Reports indicate that Pagliuca is leading an ownership group in a deal with the Mohegan Tribe to acquire the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun and transition the team to the TD Garden.
According to the Boston Globe, this transaction will involve a $325 million purchase price for the Sun, alongside an additional $100 million earmarked for relocating the team and constructing new training facilities. Notably, this figure sets a new record for the highest price ever paid for a women’s sports franchise.
Currently, the Connecticut Sun play their home games at the Mohegan Sun arena. However, the team has previously hosted select games at TD Garden, benefiting from the larger venue’s capacity, which aligns with Pagliuca’s vision of growing women’s basketball in the region.
Pagliuca, who is a minority governor of the Celtics, has significant experience in the basketball industry. He was an influential bidder in the recent sale of the Celtics but ultimately, a team led by Bill Chisholm secured the franchise for $6.1 billion.
This potential move bodes well for the growing prominence of women’s basketball and could attract more fans to the sport, further enhancing its visibility and support in Boston.