OT: Sun will be setting in a year. Moving to Boston. | Page 3 | The Boneyard

OT: Sun will be setting in a year. Moving to Boston.

DEpup said:
This is really cheeky but I'd name them the Boston Tea. Tea is a historic reference, a transit reference, and a slang term for gossip in the queer community.

Kidding aside, they would show a lot of class and be more inclusive to keeping fanbase if they chose something more New England focused more than Boston focused.
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Yikes
 
NoSpamHere said:
It remains to be seen if the league approves this as they may want Boston for future expansion. It’s in the league’s best interest to have the, stay in CT (Hartford?) and owned locally (Lasry?) so I’ll wait a bit before shedding tears.
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Looks like this wasn’t so far off…
 
oldhusky said:
Seems like this was a move many anticipated. The Sun existed at all because of Uconn basketball interest in the state. The location was different, but not being urban hurt, and it was never that attractive a destination for free agents. Writing appeared to be on the wall for a few years.

Disappointing for Uconn players who can't visit their alumni quite as easily after this.
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well said... not being urban hurt the team big time
 
CTFAN4LIFE said:
Now seeing reports that the WNBA might slow down/deny the purchase because it would leap frog other ownership groups that have shown interest in expansion franchises. I'm sure the WNBA would rather line the pockets of other WNBA owners as opposed to exclusively the Mohegan tribe. We shall see.
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Can we say "lawsuit"? Would $350M be enough to get the Mohegans to litigate? It would for me :)
 
CTFAN4LIFE said:
Now seeing reports that the WNBA might slow down/deny the purchase because it would leap frog other ownership groups that have shown interest in expansion franchises. I'm sure the WNBA would rather line the pockets of other WNBA owners as opposed to exclusively the Mohegan tribe. We shall see.
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I don't understand why the media keeps reporting it as a completed deal
 
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DEpup said:
This is really cheeky but I'd name them the Boston Tea. Tea is a historic reference, a transit reference, and a slang term for gossip in the queer community.
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I was going to suggest the Boston Redcoats. Granted, it'd be even more appropriate if there were any English as major partners in the ownership group.

I know it's not quite in the spirit of American professional team naming convention, but... ;)
 
CTFAN4LIFE said:
Not sure what the WNBA bylaws are on this... Do you know?
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No but, did that ever stop litigation? There's speculation in the Waterbury Republican that it could be anti-trust. Really, the WNBA has a long history of teams being bought and sold, moving, etc. That will not work in favor of WNBA trying to stop this deal.
 
drayenob said:
‘Not quite at the finish line’: Hartford group competing with Boston bid to keep Connecticut Sun in-state

The Sun can’t be relocated from Connecticut without approval from the WNBA and its Board of Governors, and the Globe reported that the league could force the Mohegan Tribe to sell to an in-state buyer. The WNBA also put out a statement Saturday which noted that Boston did not put in a bid during the league’s most recent round of expansion and said nine bid cities that did not receive franchises “currently have priority over Boston.”


A source with knowledge of the negotiations told The Courant an investment group led by billionaire Marc Lasry, a former owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, is attempting to compete with Boston’s offer to keep the team in Connecticut with a home at PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford. The Hartford group’s bid also exceeds $300 million and includes plans to construct a new dedicated practice facility for the team. The Mohegan Tribe had a period of exclusivity to sell to the Boston group which has since expired, so both offers remain on the table.
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Boston Eagles. I don't think anyone is using that, well, at least not anyone who matters
 
drayenob said:
‘Not quite at the finish line’: Hartford group competing with Boston bid to keep Connecticut Sun in-state

The Sun can’t be relocated from Connecticut without approval from the WNBA and its Board of Governors, and the Globe reported that the league could force the Mohegan Tribe to sell to an in-state buyer. The WNBA also put out a statement Saturday which noted that Boston did not put in a bid during the league’s most recent round of expansion and said nine bid cities that did not receive franchises “currently have priority over Boston.”


A source with knowledge of the negotiations told The Courant an investment group led by billionaire Marc Lasry, a former owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, is attempting to compete with Boston’s offer to keep the team in Connecticut with a home at PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford. The Hartford group’s bid also exceeds $300 million and includes plans to construct a new dedicated practice facility for the team. The Mohegan Tribe had a period of exclusivity to sell to the Boston group which has since expired, so both offers remain on the table.
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Let's see here. Team playing in historic Boston TD garden, or team playing in run-down outdated Hartford Peoples Bank Arena? No choice here. ✅ Checkmark to Boston. Team playing in run-down nasty dingy Hartford, or slick, interesting Boston? ✅ Checkmark once again to Boston. Definite plan, in place to build multi million dollar practice facility in Boston, while "tentative", with no real location for practice facility, somewhere in Hartford. Once again Checkmark ✅ goes to Boston. The only flies in the ointment, could be butthurt politicians, in Connecticut, and WNBA board of governor's. However 325 million dollars could soothe the WNBA people, while it just might be a little bit more difficult having to deal with the butt hurt political leaders of Connecticut. My, excuse the pun, "bet" is on Pag's, and the Boston group, to once again outplay Connecticut, and bring the Sun to Boston.
 
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Horsebrnhil said:
Let's see here. Team playing in historic Boston TD garden, or team playing in run-down outdated Hartford Peoples Bank Arena? No choice here. ✅ Checkmark to Boston. Team playing in run-down nasty dingy Hartford, or slick, interesting Boston? ✅ Checkmark once again to Boston. Definite plan, in place to build multi million dollar practice facility in Boston, while "tentative", with no real location for practice facility, somewhere in Hartford. Once again Checkmark ✅ goes to Boston. The only flies in the ointment, could be butthurt politicians, in Connecticut, and WNBA board of governor's. However 325 million dollars could soothe the WNBA people, while it just might be a little bit more difficult having to deal with the butt hurt political leaders of Connecticut. My, excuse the pun, "bet" is on Pag's, and the Boston group, to once again outplay Connecticut, and bring the Sun to Boston.
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You forgot about the biggest factor. The WNBA board doesn't want to approve the sale because they want Boston's formal expansion fee and they don't want them to jump their other expansion targets in line. Not to mention, the other franchise presidents wouldn't be too thrilled. The Sun moving to Hartford isn't a relocation, it's the same Market, so I believe that sale would be approved which is why we haven't heard of any strings attached to it

I think Lamont understands the gravity of the situation and I really do believe him when he says he'll "fight to the end" to keep them in Connecticut. I was surprised to hear Lasry's group had a $300M+ proposal ready
 
Veteran said:
Thinking logically, it all makes sense. But sport is more about emotion than it is about logic. And thinking emotionally, I haven't lived in Connecticut for half a century, yet I will always consider it to be home. Which explains why hockey became dead to me as a sport the second the Whalers moved south. So now I guess I'll have to move the WNBA into hospice care.
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As a former Whalers fan, I have not attended a hockey game since they left town, and the only game I watched on TV was the Quinnipiac national championship game. If the Sun move, unless they are in Hartford, I will not ever root for them. This year I have been watching the Dallas Wings because of Paige, and unexpectedly I have become a fan of them and watch every game. They are trying to build around Paige, so there is that option for you. The Sun were the first franchise to not be owned by a NBA team, and the first team to turn a profit. Since I am old it doesn't really matter to me in the long run, but the other loyal fans in this state deserve to have a team, and Hartford is such a better option than Uncasville. Stay in Connecticut and watch the team thrive.
 
I think Boston is a better location for the players. There’s not much for a 22-35yo to do in downtown Hartford and I don’t see a Connecticut based team being able to attract the most talented free agents.

…I don’t have the budget for 22 home games/parking in Hartford in addition to attending UConn games.

In my opinion, the Connecticut Sun worked at the casino for so long because they had a good team and also had many fans that enjoyed doing a little gambling or people watching before/after the game. I see attendance being lower in Hartford (except for games that Paige, CC or Aja Wilson are playing in).

As a long time fan of the Connecticut Sun (and season or 6 pack ticket holder until last year) - I’ll be sad to see them go. … I will catch a game or 2 in Boston if they end up there.
 
UConnFanMSM said:
I think Boston is a better location for the players. There’s not much for a 22-35yo to do in downtown Hartford and I don’t see a Connecticut based team being able to attract the most talented free agents.

…I don’t have the budget for 22 home games/parking in Hartford in addition to attending UConn games.

In my opinion, the Connecticut Sun worked at the casino for so long because they had a good team and also had many fans that enjoyed doing a little gambling or people watching before/after the game. I see attendance being lower in Hartford (except for games that Paige, CC or Aja Wilson are playing in).

As a long time fan of the Connecticut Sun (and season or 6 pack ticket holder until last year) - I’ll be sad to see them go. … I will catch a game or 2 in Boston if they end up there.
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I’d bet it’s the exact opposite. I’ve never been to a Sun game because I’m not a casino fan and Mohegan is so far away.

If they move to Hartford I’ll be at games all the time and my friends (30’s) have said the same. You can take the train in, bar hop, take the kids to the playground/park, museums etc. See what the Yard Goats have achieved.

In Boston they’re the 10th team to pay attention to and literally can’t even play in TD Garden for the first few months because of Bruins/Celtics overlap (the bid said this which is why they’re talking using Providence too). CT has the best women’s fans in the world. The Sun belong in Hartford.
 
DSquiz said:
I’d bet it’s the exact opposite. I’ve never been to a Sun game because I’m not a casino fan and Mohegan is so far away.

If they move to Hartford I’ll be at games all the time and my friends (30’s) have said the same. You can take the train in, bar hop, take the kids to the playground/park, museums etc. See what the Yard Goats have achieved.

In Boston they’re the 10th team to pay attention to and literally can’t even play in TD Garden for the first few months because of Bruins/Celtics overlap (the bid said this which is why they’re talking using Providence too). CT has the best women’s fans in the world. The Sun belong in Hartford.
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No train
From Manchester
 
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UConnFanMSM said:
I think Boston is a better location for the players. There’s not much for a 22-35yo to do in downtown Hartford and I don’t see a Connecticut based team being able to attract the most talented free agents.

…I don’t have the budget for 22 home games/parking in Hartford in addition to attending UConn games.

In my opinion, the Connecticut Sun worked at the casino for so long because they had a good team and also had many fans that enjoyed doing a little gambling or people watching before/after the game. I see attendance being lower in Hartford (except for games that Paige, CC or Aja Wilson are playing in).

As a long time fan of the Connecticut Sun (and season or 6 pack ticket holder until last year) - I’ll be sad to see them go. … I will catch a game or 2 in Boston if they end up there.
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You think there's a lot going on in Green Bay? NFL is a way bigger deal than the WNBA and I don't hear players whining about being there.

Boston nightlife has always been pretty bad.
 
superjohn said:
You think there's a lot going on in Green Bay? NFL is a way bigger deal than the WNBA and I don't hear players whining about being there.

Boston nightlife has always been pretty bad.
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Agreed to a degree, but what athletes are looking for are rich local markets to optimize their personal brands.
 
cellocgg said:
www.sportsbusinessjournal.com

WNBA frowns on new bid for Sun by Hartford group

The WNBA is opposed to a second bid for the Connecticut Sun that would move the team to Hartford, sources said, as the league remains intent on directing the team to one of nine cities that lost out on expansion last month.
www.sportsbusinessjournal.com www.sportsbusinessjournal.com
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Why would Hartford have submitted an application for an expansion team? Do they think they’re going to give two teams to the state of CT? Stupid argument
 
ScottBonz said:
They just don’t want the team in hartford so they are going to claim that it’s a market move just to deny it and try to get one of the competing cities to buy it. Hartford didn’t submit because they didn’t think it was a relocation, just a sale.
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Bingo. The league probably loved CT involvement back when fewer people gave a crap about the league. but now that these franchises are getting hot, Silver and company probably see CT involvement as more of a nuisance. Although adding a relocation fee to the bid may make them hold their nose.
 
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Most league charters provide for teams having an exclusive territory. If another team wants to move in they have to get approval and indemnify the original team. Hartford has to be in the Sun’s region. If it is, the league would be hard-pressed to claim in court that moving the team there is a relocation.
 
It'd be interesting to see how many Sun fans/attendees come in from Hartford county. Might be able to argue it's not really a relocation at all, just an arena upgrade.
 
JoePgh said:
I wonder how the new Boston franchise will handle parking for the fans, especially season ticket holders. I live near Hartford. I wouldn't mind driving to Boston for games, but I have no idea where I would park. If they want to sell tickets (especially season tickets) to fans outside the geographic range of the MBTA, they will have to do something about reasonable parking options.
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Maybe Amtrak will add a Hartford/Boston train on game days.
 
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