"Money has gone to WNBA's head" - Analyst slams top brass of acting like 'mob boss' to Mohegan Tribe over $325 million offer

2024 WNBA All Star Game - Source: Getty
Analyst slams WNBA top brass for acting like 'mob boss' to Mohegan Tribe over $325 million offer (Credits: Getty)

WNBA analyst Nancy Armour of USA Today has criticized the league for its stance on the Mohegan Tribe’s efforts to sell the Connecticut Sun. According to reports, the Mohegan Tribe brought Boston Celtics minority owner Steven Pagliuca on board to buy the Sun for a WNBA-record $325 million.

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Reports said Pagliuca also promised to build a $100 million practice facility for the team. However, the Celtics’ minority owner plans to move the WNBA franchise to Boston, a plan opposed by the league, which said the following in a statement given to USA Today:

“Relocation decisions are made by the WNBA Board of Governors and not by individual teams.”
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The league’s decision to block the sale to Pagliuca comes at the expense of the Mohegan Tribe, which has operated the Connecticut Sun at a loss for more than two decades. According to an ESPN report, the league has tried to “strongarm” the Sun’s owners into taking less money to direct the franchise’s sale to its preferred buyer.

Armour criticized the WNBA’s behavior on Tuesday, saying Cathy Engelbert and the league are acting like a “mob boss.”

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"The money has gone to the WNBA’s head. Rather than doing the right thing, however, Engelbert and her NBA overlords are seemingly acting like mob bosses, shaking people down in hopes of stuffing even more cash into their pockets,” Armour wrote. “That isn’t good business. It’s a racket. And the Mohegan Tribe, the Sun and WNBA fans deserve better.”
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Many expected the WNBA to enter a new era with a new TV deal, improved ratings and record viewership. While the league is enjoying recent success, many, including Armour, fear that the WNBA’s actions could deter prospective owners.


Connecticut Sun president maintains positive outlook as Mohegan Tribe’s sale stalls

The league’s handling of the Mohegan Tribe’s attempts to sell the Connecticut Sun has drawn criticism. Still, team president Jen Rizzotti maintained a positive outlook, saying she is confident the Sun will eventually sell for the right price.

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“I can’t really comment on what the league may or may not want for the Sun,” Rizzotti said. “I will reiterate that they’ve been thoughtful about where they’ve wanted the league to go, and having ownership groups that are invested at the right level. I can’t imagine that if there is an investment group at the right level in a great city, why anybody would not consider that to be a viable option.”
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While they won’t be able to sell to Pagliuca, the Sun’s owners could retain control and hold off on a sale until they believe the price is right.

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Edited by Sameer Khan
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