The Connecticut Sun sale is keeping the WNBA realm buzzing. In a recent report, Celtics’ Steve Pagliuca’s $325 million bid for Connecticut fueled Boston’s WNBA move. With the league’s popularity soaring high in the last few years, the team valuations have been shooting through the roof. However, despite a record-breaking deal on the line, Sun ownership has come up with some serious allegations against the WNBA.
The teams have been gaining momentum in the league since 2024. For example, the current valuation of the New York Liberty stands at an estimated $450 million. Now, this is almost 30 times more than what the owners paid originally back in 2019. Unfortunately, with a probable deal for the Sun in the making, they have accused the league of stealing.
WNBA ‘Stealing’ The Connecticut Sun Deal?
The Mohegan Tribe, owners of the Connecticut Sun, has reportedly accepted the $325 million deal. Initially, it was believed that the team was relocated to Boston. But shockingly, the bids were never presented to the WNBA Board of Governors at all. And at fault was Cathy Engelbert, the league commissioner. What is more shocking is the fact that the league has now offered a $250 million deal to acquire the franchise.
And such an attitude did not sit well with the Sun CFO, Sean Scanlon. Lashing out at the WNBA, Scanlon said, “The WNBA and powerful corporate outside interests are blocking this deal. [They] are trying to steal the team from Connecticut against the will of the owners of the team, against the fan base of Connecticut.”
🚨🚨 LET'S TAKE IT TO HELL🚨🚨 pic.twitter.com/X9fqmyEHQ7
— Root Werk Reba (@c0mplexchick) August 27, 2025
Scanlon then went on to ask the WNBA and NBA authorities not to take away the team. He also requested them to approve the deal in the near future. Meanwhile, news also surfaced about the Sun ownership exploring multiple sale paths after league pushback. And as the drama intensifies, Cathy Engelbert has faced some serious backlash.
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Cathy Engelbert In Hot Seat After Connecticut Sun Sale Pushback
Connecticut Sun’s owners accepted the $325 million offer and presented the same to the league for authorization. Now, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s approval would have made things easier in one go. But she decided to hold back and let the deadline expire. Engelbert has been facing significant setbacks in the WNBA realm following the decision. One of the main reasons for the league to block the sale was supposedly Boston’s failure to bid for the expansion team.
Add to that, Engelbert made a counteroffer to buy back the team. Since things have come to light, Engelbert and the league have faced a lot of criticism. League authorities presumed their primary goal was to keep stakeholders happy. Unfortunately, while they could not do the same, the tensions are building with each passing day. And now, as the owners await a final decision, it remains to be seen how things pan out in the future.