Houston Comets look ahead to 2027 season after relocation was approved

Catch up quick: Houston billionaire Tilman Fertitta's company purchased the Connecticut Sun for a WNBA record of $300 million, a deal announced in March that still required approval of the WNBA and NBA's board of governors.

Driving the news: The board approved the sale and relocation Wednesday.

What they're saying: "We cannot wait to give you something to be proud about, something that you can root for," Comets vice chairman Patrick Fertitta, Tilman's son, said at a press conference Thursday.

The latest: The Sun will play one last WNBA season before the franchise will relocate to Houston.

• In that time, Fertitta said, they'll be working with the Sun's front office on a transition plan, which includes deciding which coaching staff will stay with the organization.
• Sun president Jennifer Rizzotti and general manager Morgan Tuck are among those staying onboard with the organization, Fertitta said.

The intrigue: We won't know until later this year whether Houston native Brittney Griner, who signed a one-year contract with Connecticut last month, will re-sign with the franchise and play for the Comets next season.

• "To have another WNBA athlete that was born and raised here, that has achieved the level of success that she has, is fantastic," Gretchen Sheirr, president of the Comets' business operations, said Thursday.
• "On the basketball side, I'm not sure of the exact terms and how that will translate coming into 2027. But we're really excited [about] the legacy of Houston basketball."

Flashback: The Comets, one of the WNBA's original eight franchises in 1997, won the league's first four championships.

• The team ceased operations in 2008 amid a downturn in WNBA attendance nationwide.

Yes, but: The WNBA is experiencing a massive rise in popularity, with a surge in viewers and a new generation of stars.

• The league is also expanding to 18 teams in 2028.

The bottom line: "It has been decades in the making," Sheirr said of the Comets' return to Houston.

• "Having the Comets back matters, so those girls who want to play basketball can see in their backyard and at Toyota Center — whether it's on the court or off the court — that they can be champions," she added. "We're glad that they have that opportunity again."