There is no doubt that one of the biggest questions surrounding the Connecticut Sun franchise is where they will play next season.
There were several offers from across the country, including Houston, Boston and Hartford. Although this question remains unanswered, the team last the release of the schedule may hint at potential locations.
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A UConn reunion
The Sun heads to where the UConn Huskies have drawn thousands of fans at a time across the state: Hartford, Connecticut. Although Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut is the Sun’s current home, this move may give the team the crowd it deserves.
In reality, Uncansville, being neither a town nor particularly accessible, scares away potential fans. Simply moving a few 30-minute games to Hartford, the state capital and a more accessible city, would fill more seats.
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont mentioned that the recently renovated PeoplesBank Arena, formerly known as the XL Center, could accommodate “a couple” matches this season. This is due to changes made to the arena itself.
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One of the two games scheduled in Hartford will likely draw a large crowd. On THURSDAYon July 2, the Sun should welcome Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings in the same arena that Bueckers is no stranger to.
Beloved by Connecticut fans and playing in an almost arena double the size of Mohegan Sun, this will surely bring out an audience. With a few suspicion Wings take UConn basketball star Azzi Fudd as the number one pick in the upcoming WNBA Draft, several Huskies could be celebrated that night.
Just a few games could be enough for the Sun to stay in Connecticut.
Return to the TD Garden
For the third consecutive year, the Sun will play in Boston. Specifically, they will play in the Celtics’ arena, TD Garden. The match will take place on August 18 against the Los Angeles Sparks. The Los Angeles Sparks, along with the Wings, will be the other team facing the Sun in Hartford.
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For the past two years, playing in Boston has allowed the Sun to draw sellout crowds.
Playing at TD Garden proves what the Sun have known all along. It’s not the fans who are to blame. When playing in Boston, a large city known as “Title Town”, fans can easily watch women’s basketball.
Giving the Sun the chance to play in front of a much larger audience strengthens the argument that they need to find a new location as quickly as possible. It’s the sold-out nights at these big arenas that make people say everyone watches women’s sports, not in an arena with fewer 10,000 places.
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Playing in these arenas is a key offshoring strategy. This is a tremendous opportunity to attract a wider audience to women’s basketball and women’s sports.
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