The Connecticut Sun ‘Permanently Revoked’ Local Publisher’s Media Credential By Anthony Price  Paige Bueckers at the Dallas Wings' postgame press conference at People's Bank Arena, Hartford, Conn. Photo: Anthony Price.  This season, under team president Jennifer Rizzotti’s leadership and with the involvement of a senior WNBA executive, the Connecticut Sun has taken dysfunction to a new level by revoking my media credential without a valid basis. On Wednesday, July 8, just after noon, I reached out via text to the Sun’s public relations specialists Asia Horton and Jalynn “Ro” Lane—two new staffers this season—to inquire about the status of a media credential for the game. The Sun were scheduled to play the Minnesota Lynx that evening at Mohegan Sun Arena. They had a thrilling 90-89 win over the Lynx on the road on Monday night, bringing the team’s record to 5-16—the last-place team in the league had beaten the best team in the league. During another abysmal season, this was a brief moment for celebration. Just days later, that marquee win would lead to a personal low for me. The Waiting Game In the past, the Sun’s PR team would send an email 48 hours before the next game to indicate whether a credential was approved. It was just after the July 4th weekend, so I thought maybe things were thrown off like a wild pitch out of the strike zone. But I didn’t receive an email on Monday or Tuesday either. This was odd. I typed another message on my smartphone: “I didn’t receive any notification for the game tonight. What’s the status?” Confident the text was professional and to the point, I hit send. It looked as ominous as storm clouds accumulating in the sky—and little did I know that I was going to be in the middle of that storm. For the next two hours, I sensed an eerie silence, like right before the villain strikes in a horror movie. When I looked at my phone again, my blue message was floating on a dark black background. It looked as ominous as storm clouds accumulating in the sky—and little did I know that I was going to be in the middle of that storm.  Text message from Anthony Price.  Attendance Streak Ends My mind began to wander as it does when things go off the rails. I thought about the past month and my interactions with Sun staff. At least half were microaggressions from various members of Sun staff: from PR staff showing hostility toward my requests to talk to players or ask questions at pregame press conferences—not even allowing me to ask a player a question over Zoom. In contrast, others had multiple chances to ask questions. Even Rizzotti, who excels at glad-handing every person she sees in the arena, pretended not to see me, often looking the other way or at her telephone. One of her close staff members would do the same, even though I had spoken with her before. Something was up. Independent journalists who lack the backing of billion-dollar media conglomerates often learn to tolerate dismissive or disrespectful treatment to protect their access and credentials. At some point, however, remaining silent only enables that behavior. Those in positions of authority are no different from anyone else—and their titles do not necessarily reflect greater skill, experience, or professionalism. When inappropriate treatment goes unchallenged, they may come to believe they can continue acting without consequence. Unfortunately, this attitude is not uncommon among public relations personnel dealing with independent journalists. I have witnessed it in the NBA, WNBA—although certainly not with every team—and at prominent college basketball programs. My relationship with the Sun began to deteriorate after I published a column criticizing the WNBA’s new two-tier media credential policy for the 2026 season. At a time when billions of dollars are flowing into the league, the WNBA adopted a system that divides media members into Tier 1/Orange and Tier II/Gray categories. I wrote the column because I believed the policy disproportionately disadvantaged independent journalists—many of whom lack the financial backing of major media companies—who helped cover and promote the league long before its recent surge in popularity, fueled in part by Caitlin Clark and the players who preceded her.  Alexandra Maund, senior director of brand development and communications, Connecticut Sun. Photo: Stephen Joyner, Jr. By that point, I had attended every Sun home game during the 2025 and 2026 seasons with a media credential: 33 consecutive games, including those played in Hartford and Boston. As the publisher of CT Hoops Magazine and Mini Books, I aim to document the team from a perspective that differs from that of larger media outlets, and often covers stories they overlook. Then, at precisely 2:21 p.m. on the day of the game, an email arrived from Alexandra Maund, the Sun’s senior director of brand development and communications. Its subject line read: “Connecticut Sun Credential Revocation – Effective Immediately.” The decision did not come as a complete surprise. Although I had not violated any credentialing rules, the relationship had grown increasingly strained after I publicly challenged the league’s policy. The revocation raised an unavoidable question: Was my access withdrawn because of my conduct as a journalist—or because the organization objected to my criticism? Maund, a Yale graduate who later played for Rizzotti as a graduate student at George Washington University, offered the following explanation, a characterization of an incident that I found difficult to reconcile with the facts: The revocation raised an unavoidable question: Was my access withdrawn because of my conduct as a journalist—or because the organization objected to my criticism? “You traveled to the Dallas Wings team hotel with the intent of obtaining player autographs. After being removed from the hotel lobby by team security, you continued your efforts by seeking access at the team bus, where you ultimately obtained an autograph. Continuing this conduct after intervention by team security demonstrated a disregard for established security measures and the professional boundaries expected of credentialed media members. “The Connecticut Sun can no longer have confidence that the privileges associated with a media credential will be exercised responsibly or in accordance with the standards expected of professional media. Effective immediately, your Connecticut Sun media credential is permanently revoked. You are no longer eligible to receive media credentials for Connecticut Sun games, practices, team events, or any other organization-sponsored activities. “Any future request for media credentials submitted to the Connecticut Sun will be denied. Should you attempt to obtain credentialed access or otherwise circumvent this decision, venue and team security will be notified, and appropriate action will be taken to enforce this revocation. “This decision is final and has been made after consultation with the WNBA. It is not subject to review, appeal, or reconsideration.” Dazed Writer Dorothy Allison is credited with the observation, “Things come apart so easily when they have been held together with lies.” Whether this incident reflects a broader failure of leadership remains to be seen. I read Maund’s email in disbelief. She had copied Ron Howard, the WNBA’s director of communications, along with Rizzotti, Horton, and Lane, extending the reach of an accusation that I knew was false. For a moment, I sat motionless, trying to process what I had read. Then I composed a brief reply: “I was not at the Dallas Wings’ hotel, or near their team bus. You have the wrong person.”  Jennifer Rizzotti, Connecticut Sun. Photo: Stephen Joyner, Jr. Writer Dorothy Allison is credited with the observation, “Things come apart so easily when they have been held together with lies.” By then, however, the immediate damage had been done. I missed the Lynx game and the following home game against the Golden State Valkyries. Hoping for a change of scenery, I traveled to New York City, but the accusation remained difficult to put out of my mind. On Thursday morning from my Manhattan hotel room, I emailed NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and asked that the matter be investigated. I had met him a while back and had corresponded with him on several occasions. I also notified WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. As of the publication of this column, neither had responded. On Friday, I contacted the Mohegan Tribe. That conversation led to an email being sent to the Tribe’s Attorney General, Larry Roberts. As of publication, I have not received a response from him.  Dallas Wings' players hug after beating the Connecticut Sun. Photo: Anthony Price. Questions Before permanently revoking a journalist’s credentials, the Connecticut Sun and the WNBA should have been able to answer several basic questions: Was an incident report filed concerning the alleged encounter? If so, what does it say, and what evidence supports its conclusions? Is there video footage, photographic evidence, or testimony from credible witnesses identifying me as the person involved? Did the Sun or WNBA security personnel independently verify the allegation before disciplinary action was taken? What role did Ron Howard, the WNBA’s director of communications, play in reviewing or helping draft the revocation notice? Did he verify the underlying facts? What did Rizzotti know before the decision was made, and what steps, if any, did she take to confirm the accusation? What other assistance or guidance did the WNBA or NBA provide to the Sun before my credential was permanently revoked?  Once an accusation reaches that many people, a private correction—should one ever come—is rarely enough to undo the harm. What’s next? It is difficult to understand how a notice that permanently revokes a credential yet contains such a serious and demonstrably mistaken allegation could have been approved by both the Connecticut Sun and the WNBA. At a minimum, the episode raises troubling questions about how carefully the facts were examined and how little consideration was given to the damage such an accusation could cause an independent journalist. I do not know whether the WNBA, the Sun, or the Mohegan Tribe will acknowledge the error or offer an apology. I do know that I will continue seeking a full explanation and a correction of the record. The consequences are not merely theoretical. I missed multiple Sun home games, and the allegation was circulated among team and league officials before I was given any opportunity to respond. Once an accusation reaches that many people, a private correction—should one ever come—is rarely enough to undo the harm. I am writing this column because silence would allow the Sun’s version of events to stand uncontested. I prefer my reporting, writing, and videos to speak for me, but an allegation this serious cannot simply be ignored. Accountability now rests with the Connecticut Sun and the WNBA. They can disclose the evidence on which they relied, explain how the person involved was identified, and correct the record. Anything less would suggest that protecting an institutional decision matters more than establishing the truth. The past two seasons under Jennifer Rizzotti’s leadership have already brought significant challenges on and off the court. This episode offers her an opportunity to demonstrate what accountability looks like: examine the facts, acknowledge any failure, and make the situation right. The timing of the revocation—following my criticism of the league’s credentialing policy—also leaves an unavoidable question about whether my journalism played a role in the decision. The Sun and the WNBA can answer that question by producing the evidence. Until they do, the circumstances will speak for themselves. As the franchise prepares for its next chapter as the Houston Comets, its new leadership should consider what kind of culture it intends to inherit. A genuine fresh start requires more than a new city and a new name. It requires an organization in which accuracy, fairness, and professional accountability are not optional. ### Anthony Price is an entrepreneur, author and publisher of CT Hoops Magazine. Around the Sun is a weekly column about the Connecticut Sun.
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