The Connecticut Sun’s long-speculated move became official this week as both the WNBA and NBA Boards of Governors unanimously approved the sale of the franchise to Houston Rockets owner Tilman J. Fertitta, clearing the way for the team’s relocation to Houston for the 2027 season.
The Mohegan Tribe, which has owned the Sun since 2003, will host one final season at Mohegan Sun Arena in 2026 before the franchise heads to Texas.
For LGBTQ fans – many of whom have long embraced the WNBA as one of the most inclusive spaces in professional sports – the move is bittersweet. Connecticut has been a stronghold of queer fan culture, with the Sun consistently drawing one of the league’s most diverse and loyal followings.
The 2026 season will include special stops in Hartford on May 30 and July 2, as well as a return to Boston’s TD Garden on August 18, giving New England supporters a few final chances to celebrate a team that has been part of the region’s identity for more than two decades.
Houston, however, offers its own rich queer sports legacy. The city was once home to the legendary Houston Comets—winners of the WNBA’s first four championships—and Fertitta is widely expected to revive the Comets name when the Sun rebrand in 2027. LGBTQ fans in Texas have been vocal for years about wanting the league to return, and the move could reignite a vibrant basketball community in a state where queer sports leagues and fan groups continue to grow despite political headwinds.
As the Sun prepare for their final lap in Connecticut, players and fans alike are navigating a mix of nostalgia and anticipation. The Mohegan Tribe emphasized gratitude for 23 seasons of support, while team president Jen Rizzotti acknowledged the emotional weight of the transition. Yet the future in Houston promises a new chapter—one that could blend the Sun’s legacy with the Comets’ history and create a powerful new home for LGBTQ fans in the WNBA.
