Reports emerged Friday that the Connecticut Sun have been sold to the Fertitta family, who will move the franchise to Houston.
WNBA insider Alexa Philippou said sources told ESPN that the franchise was sold for $300 million. The Sun would reportedly play their final season in Connecticut in 2026 before moving to Houston for 2027.
“BREAKING: The Connecticut Sun is being sold to the Fertitta family to bring the WNBA back to Houston, sources confirmed to ESPN,” Philippou tweeted. “The team was sold for $300 million, sources said. Team will play final season in CT in ’26 before relocation. The Comets are back.”
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PaperCity Magazine’s Chris Baldwin, who first reported the news Friday, said the official announcement of the relocation is expected to be “sometime next week.” A sale is subject to the approval of the WNBA’s Board of Governors.
The Sun will be renamed the Houston Comets, adopting the name of the previous WNBA franchise in the city. The Comets played for 12 seasons from 1997 to 2008. They were one of the original eight teams.
Led by WNBA legends Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes and Tina Thompson, the Comets won the first four championships in league history.
In August, reports emerged that former Boston Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca reached a deal to purchase the Sun for $325 million. However, the sale did not push through as part of the deal was relocation to Boston. The WNBA said in a statement that it will be prioritizing cities that previously applied for an expansion franchise.
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What are the other details of the Connecticut Sun’s relocation to Houston?
According to PaperCity Magazine’s Chris Baldwin on Friday, the upcoming Houston Comets will play at Toyota Center, home of the NBA’s Houston Rockets. Tilman Fertitta purchased the Rockets in 2017 and since 2024 has expressed his desire to bring the WNBA back to Houston.
Baldwin added that the new WNBA franchise in Houston will have “access to the type of analytical data that the top organizations in sports rely on.”
The Connecticut Sun have played in Uncasville, Connecticut, since 2003 and have been one of the most successful teams. They reached the playoffs in 16 of 22 seasons and made the WNBA Finals four times.
In recent years, the Sun ownership, the Mohegan Tribe, has been criticized for lacking future plans to improve team facilities. The Sun held training sessions at a local community center.
Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek confirmed in a press conference that Woods was traveling at “a high rate of speed” when his vehicle collided with another car, resulting in his vehicle rolling over onto the driver’s side.
Tiger Woods was booked into Martin County, Florida, jail on March 27, 2026.(AP)
Authorities said Woods “exemplified signs of impairment.” He blew “triple-zeroes” for alcohol but refused a urine test.
“DUI investigators came to the scene here, and Mr. Woods did exemplify signs of impairment. They did several tests on him. Of course, he did explain the injuries and the surgeries that he had. We did take that into account, but they did do some in-depth roadside tests,” Budensiek added.
“We really weren’t suspicious of alcohol being involved in this case, and that proved to be true at the jail. … But when it came time for us to ask for a urinalysis test, he refused. And, so, he’s been charged with DUI, with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test.”
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Woods was spotted on the phone after the crash, wearing navy blue shorts.
Woods was charged with DUI, property damage and refusal to submit to a test, all misdemeanor charges. No one was injured, authorities said. Woods was alone in the car and crawled out of the passenger door after the crash.
Tiger Woods was arrested on a DUI chrge after getting into a car crash on Wednesday.(Associated Press)
“This could’ve been a lot worse,” Budensiek noted.
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President Donald Trump to the arrest of his “very close friend.”
“I feel so badly. He’s got some difficulty,” Trump said. “There was an accident, and that’s all I know. Very close friend of mine. He’s an amazing person, an amazing man, but some difficulty.”
Woods has not commented on the arrest.
Woods currently is dating Trump’s ex-daughter-in-law, Vanessa, whose daughter, Kai, is set to play college golf in Miami next week.
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This is Woods’ second DUI arrest within the last decade. In 2017, he was taken into custody, also in Jupiter Island, after taking prescription drugs and being asleep behind the wheel of a running car at 3 a.m.
In 2021, he got into a wreck that resulted in serious leg injuries that kept him off the golf course for the entire year.
Golfer Tiger Woods stands by his overturned vehicle in Jupiter Island, Fla., Friday, March 27, 2026. (Jason Oteri/AP)
Woods made his return to competitive golf earlier this week in the TGL championship after rupturing his Achilles just before last year’s Masters (this year’s tournament is in less than two weeks). Woods has not appeared on the links since the 2024 PGA Championship, in which he missed the cut.
The National Sports Commission has reaffirmed Nigeria’s intention to host the 2031 African Games, with officials from the African Union Sports Council expected in the country for a crucial inspection exercise.
The assessment visit is scheduled for March 30 to 31, 2026, in Abuja, representing a key stage in the country’s campaign to secure the hosting rights.
According to the Commission, Nigeria’s bid is part of a broader plan to reinforce its position as one of Africa’s leading sporting nations. It highlighted the country’s experience in staging major international competitions, alongside ongoing efforts to improve sports facilities and development programmes.
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During their stay, the AUSC team will evaluate major sporting venues, infrastructure, and the nation’s readiness to organise an event of such scale. The visit will also allow Nigeria to showcase its administrative strength, technical capability, and readiness to deliver a successful tournament.
The delegation includes top officials and technical experts tasked with reviewing bidding countries based on established hosting requirements.
Authorities believe that hosting the Games would bring significant benefits, including improved infrastructure, job creation, and increased youth involvement in sports, while also boosting Nigeria’s standing within the African sporting community.
WASHINGTON − Just like in so many games this season, Michigan State basketball basketball opened a game ice-cold.
And just like in so many of those games, the Spartans climbed out of their hole to make it a game. But this time, in the East region semifinal at Capital One Arena, the hole was just a little too deep, the second-half comeback stopped a basket or two short, as 3-seed MSU fell to 2-seed Connecticut, 67-63, on Friday, March 27.
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In what wound up as their final game of the 2025-26 season, in coach Tom Izzo’s 17th Sweet 16, the Spartans head home, while the Huskies advance to the Elite Eight. UConn will face 1-seed Duke on Sunday (5:05 p.m., CBS) for a spot in next weekend’s Final Four.
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Michigan State forward Cameron Ward (3) and Michigan State center Carson Cooper (15) go up for the defense rebound over Connecticut forward Jayden Ross (23) during the first half of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball East Regional game against UConn at Capital One Arena in Washington DC on Friday, March 27, 2026.
Coen Carr paced the Spartans with 13 points, while Jeremy Fears Jr. added 11 points, Jaxon Kohler had 12 points and Carson Cooper finished with 14 points.
Tarris Reed Jr. dominated in the paint for UConn, with 20 points and a key rebound of a missed Cooper free throw in the closing seconds, while Solo Ball added 12, Alex Karaban had 17 and Braylon Mullins posted eight.
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Déjà vu
The start looked eerily similar to MSU’s 76-69 exhibition loss to UConn on Oct. 28 in Hartford, Connecticut. Almost identical, actually.
The Spartans started off that fall game going just 2-for-13, and they were an even more abysmal 2-for-16 to open the Sweet 16 matchup. MSU went 8 minutes, 46 seconds between buckets after a Fears jumper at 18:44 and a Carr layup at 9:58.
Meantime, the Huskies banged in six of their first seven 3-point attempts and ripped off a 22-2 run between Spartan field goals. The Huskies also had six of their nine 3s in the exhibition win by halftime.
And just like in October, MSU found itself trailing by 19 points – only this time, it was less than 10 minutes into the game instead of midway through the second half.
But as they did in the game that didn’t count, the Spartans slogged their way back slowly and methodically. Back-to-back layups by Carr and Kohler for a 4-0 run. A Fears steal and breakaway up-and-under around Reed, then a dish from the All-American point guard to Cooper for an alley-oop. The rough seas began to calm, and the tide started to shift.
After Reed drew Cooper’s second foul with a nifty post-up spin move with 3:09 left before intermission, the former Michigan big man missed the free throw. At the other end, Fears accepted a pick from Kohler, then fed his forward on the pop for MSU’s first 3-pointer after six early misses. Then Jordan Scott drove and hit a cutting Carr for another layup. UConn started to flub up, and Kohler hit a pair of free throws with 1:26 left.
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Ball attacked and scored with just over a minute to go, but Fears countered at the other end with his own driving layup. The Spartans got another late defensive stop and somehow clawed their way back to within 35-27 at halftime – better than their 11-point hole in October.
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Despite going just 10-for-29, with Kohler’s triple the only one in eight attempts. Despite turning the ball over five times that led to eight points for the Huskies, who shot 56% but didn’t make another 3-pointer in the final 10:37 after their sizzling start. And despite getting outscored 5-2 in transition against UConn’s long-limbed defense.
Kohler had nine points and Carr seven at the break. Fears was just 3-for-8 for six points, while freshmen Scott and Cam Ward combined for nine rebounds in a 20-13 halftime edge on the glass.
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Reed and Ball each scored eight at the break, but it was a combined effort as the Huskies had five others add three or more points.
Michigan State guard Jeremy Fears Jr. (1) looks for an open man during the first half as UConn defends during the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball East Regional game against UConn at Capital One Arena in Washington DC on Friday, March 27, 2026.
What’s next for MSU
The Spartans end their season one round short of last year’s Elite Eight trip and two wins shy of another Final Four trip to Indianapolis for Izzo, who is now 61-27 all-time in the NCAA Tournament and 11-6 in his 17 Sweet 16 appearances. It also ends the season for senior starters Kohler and Cooper, who went 57-15 over their final two seasons. MSU also loses Trey Fort, Denham Wojcik and Nick Sanders to graduation, and whatever might transpire with potential portal defections, as Izzo experienced last season. Arriving to potentially join Fears, Carr and the others is one of the nation’s best recruiting classes – the group of center Ethan Taylor, shooting guard Jasiah Jervis, point guard Carlos Medlock Jr., and forward Julius Avent – is ranked No. 2 according to 247 Sports’ composite rankings. MSU also is expected to get back swingman Kaleb Glenn from a summer 2025 knee injury that cost him the season and guard Divine Ugochukwu from a foot injury that ended his season in early February.
Woods, 50, crashed his Land Rover on Jupiter Island, in the same town where he lives, just after 2pm local time after clipping a machinery truck at speed and was subsequently arrested for driving under the influence.
The 15-time major champion, along with the other driver, emerged from the incident uninjured with Martin County sheriff John Budensiek admitting “this could have been a lot worse”.
This is the third major crash Woods has been involved in and the second time it has led to a DUI arrest, with authorities suspecting that he was “impaired” by medication after he passed a breathalyser test but refused to take a urine sample.
Tiger Woods was arrested and taken to jail following the rollover crash (AP)
Tiger Woods’ Land Rover rolled over in the crash (Martin County Sheriff’s Office via AP). (AP)
The American was previously taken into custody for driving under the influence in Florida in 2017, after which he checked himself into a clinic for prescription medication.
Trump commented on Woods’ crash and said he “feels so badly” for his close friend.
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“He’s got some difficulty,” Trump said, speaking before the Martin County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Woods’ arrest. “There was an accident and that’s all I know. He’s a very close friend of mine, he’s an amazing person, an amazing man. Some difficulty, I don’t want to talk about it.”
Tiger Woods (right) alongside Donald Trump at the White House (Getty Images)
Woods will remain in county jail for at least eight hours under state law until he can be released on bond.
Woods was also in a high-profile rollover crash in California in 2021, which left him with serious injuries. Authorities said he was driving at least twice the 45mph speed limit when he SUV struck a tree, causing the vehicle to fly through the air and land on its side.
At the 2021 Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, Woods said: “I’m lucky to be alive and also have a limb,” revealing it was 50-50 as to whether part of his right leg would require amputation.
Woods had been working his way back to golf from a seventh back surgery last September and his status for next month’s Masters remains unclear.
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He admitted he got his “a*** kicked” after returning to golf in the virtual league with his team Jupiter Links, who lost in the TGL Finals.
His last official tournament was The Open in 2024, rupturing his Achilles tendon in March 2025 which that kept him off the course all season prior to back surgery.
Seven goals, 14 substitutions, no cards — there were a lot of storylines in Germany’s draw in Basel. With two and a half months left to the World Cup though, most of the focus is on who will make the squad.
One man who doesn’t need to worry is Florian Wirtz. The 22-year-old is one of the first names on the teamsheet let alone in the squad, and against Switzerland he delivered just the latest masterclass in his young career.
Wirtz emerges as leader by example
Jonathan Tah’s first-ever Germany goal came from a Wirtz cross. It was Wirtz who saw Serge Gnabry make the darting run through the middle for Germany’s second. The Liverpool man’s curling, dipping finish put Germany ahead the first time and a delicately placed finish on the edge of the box put Julian Nagelsmann’s team ahead for the last time. Germany had won 4-3 and without Wirtz, they would have had nothing on the scoreboard.
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“Flo’s [Wirtz] goals were exceptional,” Nagelsmann told RTL afterwards. “We know he is super creative.”
“You saw his class today,” Leon Goretzka said. “You can see it from his first touch for his second goal, and to place the ball in the top corner like he did was superb.”
In Cologne when Germany needed a breakthrough in a tough World Cup qualifier against Northern Ireland, it was Wirtz who found it. When Germany needed a big result against Slovakia, it was Wirtz who helped get Germany going. While the start to his Liverpool career was bumpy, he has since found his form in a side that remains somewhat inconsistent. But wearing Germany’s new dark blue away kit inspired by the country’s 1990s training tops, the man bought in the following decade proved why he is becoming a leader by example.
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“It probably was,” Wirtz said when asked if this was his best Germany game.
Perhaps the part that Nagelsmann will be most impressed with will be the impact Wirtz’s performance had on his team. When he took control, his teammates appeared to respond. His performance lifted that of those around him. It got Germany back on their feet every time they were knocked down.
“I’m not worried because we are really a good team with a really good defense,” Wirtz said. “You can see that we haven’t played together for a while but we have to work on that. I think all three goals were a bit preventable but it’s about winning and if we win by one more goal than the opposition then that’s also fine.”
Germany still looked shaky at the back, but were aided by a sharp attackImage: Pascal Kesselmark/Just Pictures/Sipa USA/picture alliance
Wirtz can’t stop defensive issues
Despite an impressive amount of tracking back, not even Wirtz could stop a remarkably efficient Swiss side. Murat Yakin’s team finished the game with three goals from three shots on target. It was the kind of efficiency Germany could only dream of, but even if there was a touch of misfortune from Germany’s perspective, it was also a familiar sight to see Nagelsmann’s side struggle defensively.
Germany’s build-up play left a lot to be desired, with Nico Schlotterbeck twice making mistakes that led to goals for the Swiss. Just days after 33-year-old Antonio Rüdiger appeared to have been handed the new role of being a back-up defender, Schlotterbeck’s outing might have made Nagelsmann think again. After all, for a side whose defense has been heavily criticized and deemed to be short of world-class quality in too many positions, errors in build-up play are a disaster. The 18th best side in the world proved as much, and left a reminder of what any of those inside the top 10 would do.
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Afterwards though, it didn’t feel like a night for musing over familiar defensive woes. Wirtz wrestled back the narrative and made it about the hope behind Germany’s attack. Two quick corners are the sign of a well-versed side. Kai Havertz, returning for the first time since November 2024, showed signs of a player finding form and fitness. Serge Gnabry, who scored a fine goal with the final kick of the first half, can be counted as a squad regular again. Some of the passing moves were slick and exciting to watch. And then there was Wirtz, the man who is making Germany fans dream big.
Ishan Kishan and Virat Kohli (Image credit: BCCI/IPL)
BENGALURU: Until June 3, 2025, Royal Challengers Bengaluru carried the tag of underachievers — a team that spent 17 previous seasons chasing an elusive trophy. On a muggy night in Ahmedabad, that narrative finally shifted. Built less on individual stardom and more on collective performances, RCB shed their long-standing baggage and got the monkey off their backs.When they return to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday evening, they do so with a title to defend, a reputation to protect and expectations recalibrated. Against fellow southerners Sunrisers Hyderabad, RCB begin their campaign as defending champions — a feat only Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians have managed to follow up with a successful title defence.
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RCB’s big changes ahead of IPL: New rules, tribute & squad update
While it is a long season ahead, a strong start will be crucial. Chinnaswamy hasn’t always been a fortress for RCB, and against an SRH side packed with explosive batters, the challenge is immediate.On paper, the two teams share striking similarities. Both boast formidable batting units, both are without their premier Australian quicks, and they will rely on a blend of experienced Indian names and promising youngsters. The conditions only add to the intrigue. The last completed IPL game at the venue last season — RCB’s clash against CSK — saw a staggering 424 runs scored, with the hosts defending 215 by just two runs. If the surface stays true to its batting-friendly reputation, bowlers from both sides could be in for a long evening.RCB have largely retained the core that delivered their maiden title, using the mini-auction to plug specific gaps. The additions of Venkatesh Iyer and England’s Jordan Cox bring flexibility, while young Indian recruits like Mangesh Yadav and Vihaan Malhotra add depth and future promise.
Their batting remains their biggest strength. With Virat Kohli and Phil Salt expected to set the tone at the top, Jacob Bethell’s recent form adds another dynamic layer. The middle order is stacked with experience and firepower in Rajat Patidar, Devdutt Padikkal, Jitesh Sharma, Tim David and Venkatesh Iyer. The team management, in fact, faces the enviable headache of narrowing down a balanced playing XI.However, the absence of Josh Hazlewood — their most impactful bowler last season — could be a significant setback. The Australian pacer, still working his way back from injury concerns, only rejoined the squad on Thursday and will sit out of the match. His absence puts the onus on Bhuvneshwar Kumar to lead the attack, especially in conditions that traditionally offer little margin for error. RCB are also without Sri Lankan quick Nuwan Thushara, who is yet to clear the fitness test in his home country. In Hazlewood’s absence, New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy could be handed an IPL debut. He is expected to slot into an otherwise Indian-heavy bowling unit, with youngsters Mangesh Yadav and Rasikh Dar pushing for inclusion. The spin department, featuring Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma, will also have a key role in controlling the middle overs.SRH, meanwhile, look equally formidable with the bat. Led by Ishan Kishan, they have a destructive line-up comprising Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen and Nitish Reddy. However, their bowling appears relatively undercooked in the absence of regular skipper Pat Cummins, even though they can call upon the experience of Harshal Patel, Brydon Carse and Jaydev Unadkat.Away from the on-field contest, it will be a sombre homecoming for RCB. The players will wear black armbands in memory of the 11 lives lost in the stampede during last year’s title celebrations — a tragedy that continues to cast a shadow over the team and the venue.
The 2026 Texas Children’s Houston Open continues on Saturday, March 28, with the third round at Memorial Park in Houston, Texas. You can find full Texas Children’s Houston Open tee times for Saturday’s third round at the bottom of this post.
Featured tee time for Round 3
It’s been nearly seven years since Gary Woodland claimed his last title, and it was a major: the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. Since then, Woodland has endured brain surgery to remove a tumor and has experienced lasting PTSD from the procedure, the difficulty of which he shared recently with Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard.
Revealing his struggles publicly appears to have resulted in some improvement on the course. The 41-year-old finished T14 at last week’s Valspar Championship — his best finish since finishing T11 at last year’s Charles Schwab Challenge — and is posting some of his best rounds of the year in Texas.
After 36 holes at the Houston Open, Woodland holds the solo lead at at 13 under par — three shots clear of his closest competitors, Nicolai Hojgaard and Jackson Suber, who are 10 under. If he can hang on until Sunday, Woodland will claim his fifth career PGA Tour title.
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Woodland, Hojgaard and Suber will play in Saturday afternoon’s final grouping at 12:55 p.m. ET.
You can watch Saturday’s third round of the 2026 Texas Children’s Houston Open from 1-3 p.m. ET on Golf Channel, followed by the NBC broadcast from 3-6 p.m. ET. PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ will provide exclusive early streaming coverage starting at 8:15 a.m. ET on Saturday in addition to featured group coverage.
Check out the complete Round 3 tee times and groupings for the Texas Children’s Houston Open below.
With an ESPN+ subscription, you gain access to PGA Tour Live, where you can stream the best PGA Tour events live from wherever you want.
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2026 Texas Children’s Houston Open tee times for Saturday: Round 3 (ET)
Tee No. 1
8:20 a.m. – Lee Hodges, Jordan Smith, Adrien Saddier 8:30 a.m. – Ben Griffin, Garrick Higgo, Tom Hoge 8:40 a.m. – Erik van Rooyen, Matthieu Pavon, Danny Willett 8:50 a.m. – Luke Clanton, John Parry, Danny Walker 9:00 a.m. – Eric Cole, Kevin Roy, Matt Kuchar 9:11 a.m. – Mac Meissner, Jesper Svensson, Peter Malnati 9:22 a.m. – Sam Burns, William Mouw, Kurt Kitayama 9:38 a.m. – Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Andrew Putnam, Chris Gotterup 9:49 a.m. – Steven Fisk, Davis Riley, Harris English 10:00 a.m. – Brice Garnett, Emiliano Grillo, Sungjae Im 10:11 a.m. – Michael Brennan, Takumi Kanaya, Jimmy Stanger 10:22 a.m. – Shane Lowry, Chris Kirk, Harry Hall 10:33 a.m. – Austin Eckroat, Matti Schmid, Bronson Burgoon 10:44 a.m. – Thorbjørn Olesen, Tony Finau, Ricky Castillo 11:00 a.m. – Johnny Keefer, Pontus Nyholm, Denny McCarthy 11:11 a.m. – Tom Kim, Rasmus Højgaard, Beau Hossler 11:22 a.m. – Stephan Jaeger, Sudarshan Yellamaraju, Aldrich Potgieter 11:33 a.m. – Max McGreevy, Adrien Dumont de Chassart, Vince Whaley 11:44 a.m. – Paul Waring, Rico Hoey, Alex Smalley 11:55 a.m. – Jhonattan Vegas, Sahith Theegala, Jeffrey Kang 12:11 p.m. – Matt Wallace, Keith Mitchell, Chad Ramey 12:22 p.m. – Zecheng Dou, Sam Ryder, Jake Knapp 12:33 p.m. – Sam Stevens, Adam Scott, Karl Vilips 12:44 p.m. – Min Woo Lee, Jason Day, Michael Thorbjornsen 12:55 p.m. – Gary Woodland, Nicolai Højgaard, Jackson Suber
The Fertitta family has agreed to a deal to purchase the Connecticut Sun for a record-breaking $300 million and move the WNBA franchise to Houston, according to reports from Paper City Magazine and ESPN. A sale would be subject to approval by the WNBA’s Board of Governors, and it was not official as of Friday evening.
If the deal is approved, the Sun would reportedly play the 2026 season in Connecticut before moving to Houston in 2027. The team is expected to play at the Toyota Center, home of the NBA’s Houston Rockets, and be renamed the Houston Comets, taking on the name of the original WNBA franchise in the city, which existed from 1997 until 2008. The original Comets, led by Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes and Tina Thompson won the league’s first four championships and were the first WNBA dynasty.
In June of 2025, after the WNBA announced further expansion to Cleveland (2028), Detroit (2029) and Philadelphia (2030), commissioner Cathy Engelbert said that the league had its “eye on” Houston as a city that could eventually get a team.
“There are a variety of cities that obviously bid, and one of those I wanted to shout out — because they have such a strong history in this league and their great ownership group — is Houston,” Engelbert said at the time. “The Houston Comets were just an amazing one, the first four inaugural championships in the WNBA. So I would say that’s the one, obviously, we have our eye on. [Owner] Tilman [Feritta’s] been a great supporter of the WNBA, and we’ll stay tuned on that.”
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The Sun have played in Uncasville, Connecticut at Mohegan Sun Arena since 2003, when the franchise was purchased by the Mohegan Tribe and relocated from Orlando. The Sun were the first franchise run by a non-NBA owner and were the first to turn a profit.
“The people at Mohegan Sun, I think they stepped up when they were needed and brought a team to Connecticut, as Connecticut deserves to have a team because we’re a proven [area] where people will support women’s basketball,” UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma said Friday. “Moving, I think it leaves a void.”
The Sun made the playoffs in 16 of 22 seasons in Connecticut and reached the Finals four times, but lost each time. While the Sun have been successful on the floor, the organization has fallen behind its counterparts off the floor. Notably, the Sun have often practiced at a local community center, and the franchise is the only one that has not announced any recent plans for a new practice facility.
Connecticut’s lack of facilities and amenities became a major issue last winter when its entire starting lineup from the 2024 season, including stars Alyssa Thomas, Brionna Jones and DeWanna Bonner, left in free agency. The Sun went 11-33 last season, finished in 11th place and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
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In August of 2025, the Mohegan Tribe agreed to sell the franchise to then-Boston Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca for $325 million. As part of the deal, the franchise would have been relocated to Boston. After league pushback, however, the sale did not go through.
“Relocation decisions are made by the WNBA Board of Governors and not by individual teams,” the WNBA said in a statement at the time. “As part of our most recent expansion process, in which three new franchises were awarded to Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia on June 30, 2025, nine additional cities also applied for WNBA teams and remain under active consideration. No groups from Boston applied for a team at that time, and those other cities remain under consideration based on the extensive work they did as part of the expansion process and currently have priority over Boston. Celtics’ prospective owner Bill Chisholm has also reached out to the league office and asked that Boston receive strong consideration for a WNBA franchise at the appropriate time.”
The last time a WNBA team was sold was in 2021, when Larry Gottesdiener led a group that bought the Atlanta Dream for under $10 million.
The 2026 WNBA season will go ahead as scheduled after the league and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association came to terms on a historic new collective bargaining agreement. Opening night is set for May 8, and the regular season will run through Sept. 24.
Dec 21, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell during the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
There was only one question people really wanted answered this offseason when it came to the Minnesota Vikings: the Big Vikings QB Decision. We finally got our answer when Kyler Murray was signed. And now that decision is being hailed as one of the best value moves of the offseason.
The Murray Move Is Drawing Value Praise
Injuries and poor play at QB derailed the Vikings’ 2025 season, and entering the 2026 season with just JJ McCarthy and Max Brosmer wasn’t going to cut it. The Vikings raised their ceiling by signing Murray, and doing so to a one-year, $1.3 million contract brings very little downside. He might not have lived up to his first-overall draft pick status, but he is a highly capable quarterback with seven seasons in the league as a starter.
Adding a player like that to your QB room at a basement price while another franchise is forced to pick up the tab after the Arizona Cardinals released him is excellent work from the Vikings. The great value is undeniable, which is why Murray’s move to Minnesota made the list for Pro Football Focus’ best value signings of the 2026 free agency.
PFF Gives the Vikings QB Move a Strong Endorsement
PFF put forward their best value signings of free agency. Murray was on there alongside Tariq Woolen, signing for the Philadelphia Eagles, Devin Bush, signing for the Chicago Bears, Rasheed Walker, signing for the Carolina Panthers, and Jaylinn Hawkins, signing for the Baltimore Ravens. Here is what PFF had to say about Murray and the Vikings.
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Releasing Kyler Murray with a post-June 1 designation meant the Cardinals were able to spread his dead cap hit across the next two seasons. But that only marginally softens the blow for Arizona, which is still saddled with a $47.5 million dead cap charge in 2026 (15.4% of the cap).
Additionally, due to offsets stemming from Murray’s release, the Vikings were able to pick up the former first-overall pick at the veteran minimum, leaving the Cardinals to pay the remainder of his guarantees next season (over $35 million).
There is virtually no downside to adding a highly capable option to your quarterback room at a basement price while another franchise is forced to pick up the tab. While Murray hasn’t lived up to his lofty billing,
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has a strong track record for quarterback development (see: Sam Darnold). If O’Connell can bring the best out of Murray, this signing could morph into a long-term affair. The Vikings need viable options at quarterback after ranking 31st in PFF passing grade (47.6) this past season. Put plainly, running it back with J.J. McCarthy (60.1 PFF passing grade, 35th out of 43 qualifying quarterbacks) and Carson Wentz(50.0, 40th) isn’t going to cut it. Don’t be surprised if Murray wins the job in camp.
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It’s difficult to argue that the Vikings aren’t getting good value here, even if you aren’t a big fan of Murray. You won’t get a better QB for such a little outlay. Understandably, the praise for this move from the Vikings has been coming in from all angles.
The Long-Term Vision
Murray got a no-franchise-tag clause in his contract, meaning this season is almost a dress rehearsal for both parties ahead of a big decision in a year. If Murray can have Darnold-like success playing for Kevin O’Connell, then the Vikings can’t make the same mistake twice. Murray will be on track for a big deal in 2027. If it doesn’t work out, then it costs Minnesota basically nothing to find out.
Sep 25, 2022; Glendale, Ariz., U.S.; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) is grabbed by Los Angeles Rams linebacker Leonard Floyd (54) during the second quarter at State Farm Stadium. Nfl Los Angeles Rams At Arizona Cardinals
The Vikings will then reassess McCarthy’s status and decide whether to take another look at a QB in the draft or pursue a different veteran passer.
Murray should be good enough to succeed on this team, and as long as he stays healthy, I expect we will be talking about a contract extension in due course.
Proud UK Viking. Family Man. Enjoy writing about my team. Away from football an advocate for autism acceptance.
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