Efforts Grow To Keep WNBA's Sun In Connecticut

HARTFORD, CT — With the state pitching a plan to become a part-owner of the Connecticut Sun WNBA franchise, a new website has been set up to urge the league to stay in the state.

The "Hands Off Our Team" movement has created a website providing fans with an easy means to get the word out to the WNBA regarding Connecticut's status.

Currently, the Mohegan Tribe, which owns the Connecticut Sun, plans to sell the team, with a Boston-based financier linked to the Boston Celtics considered the top candidate to buy Connecticut's only major league professional sports franchise.

"With the help of the State and local governments and the fans, we can make sure the WNBA knows that the Connecticut Sun deserves to stay," wrote "Hands Off Our Team" in a release Thursday.

"We are asking fans to call, email, tweet, and make it known that Nutmeggers want the Sun to rise again - despite a fair and attractive offer to keep the team in-state, the WNBA has been standing in the way. This isn't just business - it's anti-competitive, and a betrayal of CT fans."

Last week, Hartford Mayor Arunan Alampalam held a press conference confirming the city's support to keep the team in Connecticut, with Hartford being the host city and PeoplesBank Arena (formerly the XL Center) the home court.

Currently, the Sun plays at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, which is located in eastern Connecticut.

"Hartford is fighting to keep the Connecticut Sun right here in the state where it belongs. We're the Basketball Capital of the World, with a long and proud history of supporting women's basketball - and the WNBA should value that," said Arulampalam in a statement.

"Join us in this fight. Call the WNBA customer service line at 855-438-0683, ask to speak to a representative, and tell them to keep their hands off our team."

Citing the wild success of the University of Connecticut women's basketball, which has been a part of the sports cultural landscape in the state since the 1990s, the "Hands Off Our Team" movement hopes for the same level of support for the Sun.

"With the recent news of a state-sponsored bid for partial ownership of the Sun along with the Mohegan Tribe, it is our hope that this campaign can be successful in line with the state's vision for years to come," wrote "Hands Off Our Team."

"With hundreds of page views already, it's no secret that this is what the fans, and everybody else in our state, wants - to keep the Sun in Connecticut."

According to WFSB Channel 3, the state's offer regarding the Sun includes a willingness to back the construction of a state-of-the-art practice facility in Hartford.

For more information and to visit the 'Hands Off Our Team' website, click on this link.

For the full WFSB Channel 3 report, click on this link.