Around the Sun

Sun’s Marketing Strategy Links to Boston—Should It?

By Anthony Price

TD Garden, Boston, Mass.

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The number of fans at a basketball game is a gauge of a team’s health—much like a barometer measuring the atmosphere around it.
 
The Connecticut Sun planted their flag in the heart of New England sports territory when they played the first WNBA game at the TD Garden in Boston on August 20, 2024, 105 miles from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. A sellout crowd of 19,125 watched the Sun beat the LA Sparks, 69-61. 

The Sun’s marketing strategy is to become synonymous with New England—like the Celtics, Red Sox, and Patriots have been with their sports for generations. In a step toward this goal, the Sun will play the Indiana Fever and superstar Caitlin Clark in Boston on July 15.
 
The Sun’s home opener is on May 18. Why isn’t a successful, top-tier team packing every seat in Connecticut?

The Clark Effect
 
Last season was good for the WNBA. In late September 2024, two weeks before the Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty faced off in the Finals, the league’s front office released a glowing press release. The headline: “WNBA Delivers Record-Setting 2024 Season.”  
 
The media frenzy that reached a crescendo in New York began when University of Iowa sensation Caitlin Clark entered the league. 
 
Iowa’s basketball games had packed the 15,000-seat Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. Clark—her generation’s “Pistol Pete” Maravich—brought that devoted fanbase to the WNBA. She isn’t just a star; she’s the rocket fuel propelling the league into a new orbit. 
 
The Indiana Fever led the league in attendance per game with 17,035—drawing 340,715 fans, the single-season record for the league. The league drew 2,353,735 fans, the highest in 22 years.

She isn’t just a star; she’s the rocket fuel propelling the league into a new orbit. 

Caitlin Clark, Mohegan Sun, September 24, 2024. Photo: Anthony Price

Easy Ticket?
 
The Sun achieved a home-opener sellout on May 14, 2024, when rookie Caitlin Clark came to town. Their only previous home-opener sellout was in 2003, 21 years ago, their inaugural game at Mohegan Sun Arena.

The Sun are in a transition—last season’s starters are gone, along with the head coach and general manager. The playoffs this year seem like a long shot. Just months ago, they were battling the Lynx in the semifinals, 
 
This franchise reached the WNBA Finals in 2019 and 2022. With that kind of pedigree, you’d expect packed crowds and sold-out seats. Instead? Crickets on some nights.
 
In 2024, 169,012 fans attended their 20 regular-season home games. They ranked 8th out of 12 teams and had nine sellouts. In 2023, the team averaged 6,244 at home games and 5,712 in 2022. 

Challenges
 
The Sun face three existential challenges. First, they play in the league’s smallest market: Connecticut. Meanwhile, the top-drawing teams thrive in major cities like New York, Las Vegas and Seattle—places with bigger arenas, bigger populations, and bigger buzz. 
 
Second, geography. The team is based in Uncasville, a casino town with no urban center. The closest large cities—Hartford and New Haven—are miles away. Players want to live and play in cities. Uncasville isn’t one.
 
The third—and most critical—challenge? Star power. Tina Charles and Marina Mabrey are good, but they’re not selling jerseys nationwide. 
 
Alyssa Thomas was the Sun’s star. She spent 11 seasons in Connecticut, helped the USA win Olympic gold in Paris, and defined the franchise—until she left in 2024

But there is hope—and it’s coming fast. A free agency bonanza looms in 2026. 

Alyssa Thomas, Connecticut Sun

One last thing: The Sun haven’t committed to building a team-only practice facility. Nearly every other franchise has or is planning one. That’s a red flag. 
 
But there is hope—and it’s coming fast. A free agency bonanza looms in 2026. 
 
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association opted out of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement with the WNBA, setting the stage for a historic shakeup. Dozens of top players around the league signed one-year deals this offseason, positioning themselves to cash in as free agents when the money hits. 
 
That money? It’s coming from the NBA’s new $75 billion, 11-year media rights deal. The WNBA is expected to receive a windfall--more than $200 million a year, according to The Athletic. 
 
The numbers are staggering. In April 2025, the Associated Press’ Doug Feinburg reported that over 100 WNBA players will be free agents next year, including 20 all-stars. 

The league is about to offer its first multimillion-dollar contract. The game—and the economics behind it—are about to change forever.

Tina Charles, Connecticut Sun training camp, 2025. Photo: Anthony Price

​The UConn Model
 
If the Connecticut Sun need a blueprint, they don’t have to look far. Just 45 miles up the road, the University of Connecticut has built a dynasty in women’s basketball.
 
Led by coach Geno Auriemma since 1985, UConn has earned 12 national titles and a devoted, statewide following. Last season, the Huskies drew 177,397 fans to home games—five sellouts at Hartford’s XL Center (15,684 capacity) and seven sellouts at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs (10,299 capacity). Across 14 games, they averaged 12,671 fans per game—equivalent to ranking third in the WNBA.
 
What’s the difference? UConn produces superstars. From Rebecca Lobo to Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore, Breanna Stewart, and now 2025 WNBA No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers, the Huskies generate elite talent with machine-like precision.

A Path Forward
 
To boost attendance and their fanbase, the Sun could bring a few home games to Hartford. The XL Center has proven its draw with UConn crowds—and it’s an easier sell than asking fans to make a four-hour round trip from Greater Boston on a Tuesday night.
 
If the Sun can position themselves now—by committing to a state-of-the-art practice facility, defining a clear vision, and building a culture that attracts top talent—they could become a prime landing spot in this new era of player empowerment and big contracts.
 
Ultimately, talent drives both wins and loyalty. If the Sun want sellouts and a serious shot at their first WNBA title, they’ll need to land a superstar in the 2026 free agency wave.
 
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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​Anthony Price is an entrepreneur, author and publisher of CT Hoops Magazine. Around the Sun is a weekly column about the Connecticut Sun. ​​