The Houston Comets are coming back after nearly 20 years
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Houston Comets coach Van Chancellor and players Cynthia Cooper, Tammy Jackson, and Sheryl Swoopes during a 2000 rally. Photo: Buster Dean/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images
The Houston Comets are expected to come back to Bayou City after nearly 20 years after Rockets owner Fertitta Entertainment reached a deal to buy, relocate and rename the Connecticut Sun.
Why it matters: Houston hasn't had a WNBA team since the dynastic Comets ceased operations in 2008 — leaving a gap in a city that once set the standard for women's pro basketball.
Driving the news: Houston billionaire Tilman Fertitta's company has entered an agreement to purchase the Connecticut Sun for a WNBA record of $300 million, per the Associated Press, after expressing interest last year.
- The WNBA still needs to approve the deal.
- If approved, the Comets will start playing at Toyota Center at the start of the 2027 WNBA season.
Context: The Houston Comets were one of the WNBA's original eight franchises in 1997 and won the league's first four championships.
- Over 12 seasons, the Comets made nine playoff appearances and were home to Hall of Famers Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes, Tina Thompson and former head coach Van Chancellor.
What they're saying: "My family and I are thrilled for the opportunity to bring the Houston Comets back to this incredible city," said Rockets alternate governor Patrick Fertitta.
- "Houston has a proud championship history in the WNBA, with banners from the Comets' four historic championship seasons still hanging in the rafters of Toyota Center."
- "We believe the time is right to begin the next great era of Comets basketball, and we look forward to working with the WNBA as we move through this process."
The big picture: The WNBA is experiencing a massive rise in popularity, with a surge in viewers and a new generation of stars like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers — and the league is expanding, with new teams set to join in 2028.
- It's now the fifth-most popular U.S. league, trailing only the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL.
Between the lines: Houston's return shows how much the league's fortunes have changed.
- The league launched in the late '90s amid strong interest in women's basketball after the 1996 Olympics but struggled for years with attendance, ownership stability and investment.
- In the late 2000s, even the famed Comets couldn't find buyers at a $12 million price tag, much to the dismay of former stars.
What's next: Eager fans can place a $99 deposit for season tickets, sign up for updates and buy Houston Comets merchandise at houstoncomets.com.