It’s mid-July, and Boston’s TD Garden was buzzing with activity Tuesday as fans filed in to catch a glimpse of WNBA basketball and the league’s most notable name.
The Connecticut Sun are hosting Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever in Boston.
“My daughter is a huge fan of Caitlin Clark,” said one local Fever fan.
“We’re supporting women’s basketball,” added a fan of the Sun.
That excitement is shared by politicians, with state and city leaders alike leaning into the hype and looking to leverage it into a Boston based franchise.
“The city council, all the elected officials, are on board,” said Boston City Councilor Brian Worrell, who represents District 4.
“Two years in a row, the Garden totally sold out,” Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said. “That’s what things would look like if we had a team.”
The Connecticut Sun are taking on the Indiana Fever Tuesday in Boston.
Getting a team here won’t be easy, though. Some have floated the idea of buying the Connecticut Sun, but the Mohegan Tribe that owns the team reportedly wants it to stay local.
That opens the door to an expansion team, but that takes time and resources.
While various options are considered, one thing is clear — everyone involved wants to make this happen.
“I’m going to do everything I can to advocate for a team here in Boston,” Healey said.
“Anything can be accomplished with vision,” said Boston City Councilor Sharon Durkan of District 8.
Building off that optimism, a group called Boston Women’s Basketball Partners is seeking potential opportunities. Fans are simply hoping someone can make this a reality.
“We would love to have something permanent,” said one local Fever fan.
“If the Celtics can rise here on Causeway, than so can the Suns,” said another fan.