Hartford mayor criticizes WNBA as the fight to keep Sun in Connecticut continues

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — The mayor of Hartford waded into the fight over the future of the WNBA's Connecticut Sun on Thursday.

Mayor Arunan Arulampalam (D) excoriated the WNBA for reportedly opposing a deal that would see the Sun bought by a Connecticut-based ownership group and relocated to Hartford, where they would play at the newly-renamed PeoplesBank Arena.

"Half the WNBA cut their teeth on the hardwood right behind me — playing either for or against the most storied basketball team in all of women's basketball: the UConn Huskies," Arulampalam said of the arena formerly known as the Hartford Civic Center and the XL Center.

"This is how the league shows their appreciation for that history?" The mayor continued. "By saying to Connecticut, 'You don't get to have a team any more'?"

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