Boston is one of the greatest sports cities in the world. Nicknamed “The City of Champions,” it’s home to some of the most storied franchises across American sports, from the Red Sox and Patriots to the Bruins and Celtics. Yet somehow, a WNBA team still isn’t part of the picture.

The city’s basketball culture is impossible to ignore. The Celtics’ parquet floor and 18 championship banners are stitched into the fabric of Boston’s identity. Generations of fans have packed the Garden, and basketball legends like Bill Russell, Larry Bird and even Jayson Tatum are seen as local icons.

So when reports emerged last month that former Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca had reached a $325 million agreement to purchase the Connecticut Sun and relocate the team to Boston, the news was met with enthusiasm from Boston sports fans — but just as quickly as the dream came into focus, it was over. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert blocked the proposed move, stating that “relocation decisions are made by the WNBA Board of Governors and not by individual teams,” and noting that “no groups from Boston applied for a team.” The move sparked frustration in Boston’s passionate sports community, which had embraced the idea for years.

While the WNBA has the right to control expansion and relocation, denying Boston a team feels like a missed opportunity. The WNBA is rapidly growing in popularity, attracting new fans and receiving more media attention than ever before. To sustain that momentum, the league needs to strengthen its presence in major media markets, and Boston is among the most passionate, visible and loyal.

Currently, the Connecticut Sun play at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, a 10,000-seat venue inside a casino complex. By contrast, TD Garden nearly doubles that capacity, and it’s the most iconic basketball venue on the East Coast not already home to a WNBA team.

There’s tangible evidence that Boston has embraced WNBA basketball. The Sun played two regular-season games at TD Garden in 2024 and 2025, both drawing sellout crowds. Each game sparked citywide excitement and showed just how ready the city is for a team of its own.

Boston is a basketball town through and through. Fans don’t just show up — they invest and they care at a level unmatched by most U.S. media markets. Not only would a WNBA team succeed in Boston, it would set the standard for what a modern franchise should be.

Establishing a team in Boston would strengthen the league’s presence in New England and provide young girls across the region with role models they can see in their own backyard. In a city where sports matter, women’s basketball deserves to be firmly established.

The WNBA needs a team in Boston. The infrastructure, the interest and the legacy are already there. All that’s missing is the opportunity.