Tag: Mohegan

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  Alice Cooper came to an almost sold out concert at Mohegan Sun, Friday evening singing many of his original hits. (Photo: Mark Maglio)

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  Alice Cooper came to an almost sold out concert at Mohegan Sun, Friday evening singing many of his original hits. (Photo: Mark Maglio)

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  Alice Cooper came to an almost sold out concert at Mohegan Sun, Friday evening singing many of his original hits. (Photo: Mark Maglio)

• 

  Alice Cooper came to an almost sold out concert at Mohegan Sun, Friday evening singing many of his original hits. (Photo: Mark Maglio)

• 

  Alice Cooper came to an almost sold out concert at Mohegan Sun, Friday evening singing many of his original hits. (Photo: Mark Maglio)

• 

  Alice Cooper came to an almost sold out concert at Mohegan Sun, Friday evening singing many of his original hits. (Photo: Mark Maglio)

• 

  Alice Cooper came to an almost sold out concert at Mohegan Sun, Friday evening singing many of his original hits. (Photo: Mark Maglio)

• 

  Alice Cooper came to an almost sold out concert at Mohegan Sun, Friday evening singing many of his original hits. (Photo: Mark Maglio)

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  Alice Cooper…

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Simply put: They’re exploring if they can get more investors or if it might be more beneficial to sell the team, which could open the Sun to relocation.

The Sun have one of the most unique ownership structures in professional sports. The franchise is owned by the Mohegan tribe, which purchased the team more than two decades ago when it was about to fold in Orlando.

But it costs a lot more to be competitive in the WNBA than it used to, and an ownership group that fit well 20 years ago might get boxed out in 2025.

After decades of underinvestment in the WNBA, the league is quickly turning into an arms race.

Teams are building out their facilities at a rapid clip to meet the moment. The defending champion New York Liberty announced in March plans to build an $80 million practice facility in Brooklyn. The expansion Golden State Valkyries launched this season with a 31,800-square-foot facility in nearby Oakland, Calif.

The Sun, on the other hand, went viral during the playoffs last year when they had to share their practice court with a child’s birthday party.

As investment in the WNBA grows rapidly, can the tribe and the Sun keep up?

ESPN reports the tribe helped the Sun become the first WNBA franchise to turn a profit.

“I’ve been here for four years. I think the tribe can support whatever they want, whatever decision they make,” Sun president Jennifer Rizzotti told ESPN. “They do everything first class. They pride themselves on guest experience and attention to detail and true investment in the right ways.

“If the tribe decides they want to own this team, they’re as competitive, I think, as any ownership group in the league.”

But Sportico reports the expectation for the Sun is a sale…

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Paige Bueckers never lost a game at Mohegan Sun Arena during her storied five-year career with the UConn Huskies. On Tuesday night, she’ll step back into that familiar arena. But this time, it will be as a professional, still searching for her first WNBA win.

Now the face of the Dallas Wings after being selected No. 1 overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft, Bueckers brings her 0-4 team to Connecticut to face the equally winless Sun in a battle of rebuilding squads. But for Bueckers, returning to Mohegan Sun feels like more than just another game.

“I feel like Mohegan is like my second home to Gampel (Pavilion) in Connecticut, so it’s great to be back,” Bueckers said to the Hartford Courant. “It’s definitely different. It’ll be weird stepping on the court, I think, not in a UConn uniform, but it’ll be something that I’ll enjoy with a new experience and a new team and new organization. It’s just another step in the new journey, and I’ll definitely enjoy being back here in the state I love so much.”

Bueckers went 15-0 at Mohegan during her college career, leading UConn to four Big East Tournament titles and, in 2025, another national championship. Her dominance on that floor, highlighted by averaging 22.3 points in her final Big East run, cemented her as one of the greatest to play for the Huskies

But this isn’t the UConn dynasty. The Wings are a young team with growing pains, and Bueckers has already lost more games in two weeks than she did her entire senior year. Still, she remains undeterred.

“What’s delayed is not denied,” she said. “We’re just trying to grow and stay optimistic.”

On a court where she once made history, Bueckers now seeks a fresh start. A win on Tuesday wouldn’t…

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Amid a roster rebuild and reports that ownership is looking into selling the team, the Connecticut Sun announced Wednesday that it has sold out of 2025 season tickets for the first time in franchise history at the fastest pace it has ever seen.

The team said via a press release that it has also seen a 40% increase in overall ticket sales compared to the 2024 season, continuing a trend of massive growth in attendance around the WNBA over the last several years. The league had its highest total attendance in 22 years in 2024 up 48% from the 2023 season, and the 154 individual game sellouts marked a 242% increase from the previous year.

“Reaching a season ticket sellout for the first time in franchise history is a significant achievement for our organization,” Sun president Jen Rizzotti said in the release. “This milestone reflects the remarkable dedication of our loyal Sun fans, whose continued commitment and enthusiasm for over 20 years make them the best in the WNBA.”

The Sun sold out Mohegan Sun Arena 10 times last season including the playoffs at a capacity of just under 9,000, and the team also sold out 19,156 seats at TD Garden when they played against the Los Angeles Sparks in Boston.

Dom Amore: CT Sun departure would be sad, but WNBA’s growth may make it inevitable

News of the season ticket sellout comes barely 48 hours after Sportico first reported that the Mohegan Sun ownership group has hired investment bank Allen & Company to explore “options for strategic investments” including — but not limited to — selling the franchise. Tribal leadership was publicly committed to keeping the Sun in Connecticut as recently as January when first-year head coach Rachid Meziane…

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Penn State has announced the first game of its 2025-26 men’s basketball season. The Nittany Lions will play Providence on Nov. 22 as part of a doubleheader at the 2025 Basketball Hall of Fame Showcase. The event is sponsored by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

Penn State is among four teams that will appear in the event at Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut. Penn State will play Providence, and Boston College will take on Harvard. Tickets go on sale Sept. 5.

“We’re excited for the opportunity to bring our team to the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut to face a strong Providence team,” Penn State basketball coach Mike Rhoades said in a statement. “This will be our second straight year competing in a Hall of Fame event, and we know it will be a first-class experience for our group. The game will challenge our team early in the season and allow our fans and alumni in the Northeast region the chance to see us play in a fun college basketball environment.”

Penn State is 2-1 in previous games against Providence, incuding a 69-59 win over the Friars in the 2001 NCAA Tournament. Penn State also defeated Providence in the 2012 Puerto Rico Tip-Off.

Penn State enters its third year under Rhoades following a disappointing 14-15 season in which it went 6-14 in the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions began the season 12-2 but lost 11 of their first 12 conference games. Penn State capped the season with an upset win at Wisconsin and did not play in the postseason.

Since the season ended, Penn State’s roster has changed significantly. Three players entered the transfer portal, and 7-foot forward Yanic Konan Niederhauser declared for the NBA Draft. Niederhauser, who is participating in this week’s NBA Draft Combine, has said he…

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