One of America’s richest businessmen is set to become the new owner of a WNBA team. Tilman Fertitta who already owns the Houston Rockets has agreed to buy the Connecticut Sun for $300 million and plans to move the team to Houston in 2027.
According to a person familiar with the deal who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity, the team will be renamed the Comets and will play one last season in Connecticut before relocating. The deal still needs approval from the WNBA Board of Governors.
Tilman Fertitta net worth
According to Forbes, Fertitta has a real-time net worth of $11.1 billion as of March 27, 2026, placing him 273rd on the list of the world’s wealthiest people. To put the $300 million Sun purchase into perspective, it represents less than 3 percent of his total wealth.
Tilman Fertitta has built his wealth through restaurants, casinos, sports and real estate. He is the Chairman and CEO of Landry’s, a Texas-based restaurant and entertainment company that owns brands like Landry’s Seafood House, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co, and Saltgrass Steak House, according to Forbes. He also took the company private in 2010 in a deal worth $1.4 billion and also owns the Golden Nugget Casinos.
His lifestyle reflects his huge wealth. In September 2025, Forbes reported that he put his 275-foot yacht, Boardwalk up for sale for about $175 million and he already has an even bigger yacht on order.
According to Forbes, apart from business, Fertitta also serves as President Trump’s ambassador to Italy. He has taken the role seriously and even personally supervised the renovation of Villa Taverna, the official residence in Rome. “Serving as ambassador to Italy is a real job,” he said.
What you need to know about the $300 million deal
According to AP, Houston had been trying to get a WNBA team for some time. The city first increased its offer to $250 million which was the same amount paid by Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia for expansion teams. The final deal of $300 million shows the team’s value and the strong competition.
The Connecticut Sun also had a higher offer of $325 million from a group led by Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca, who wanted to move the team to Boston. However, the WNBA blocked that deal, saying that, “relocation decisions are made by the WNBA Board of Governors and not by individual teams,”
The league also said that other cities had already gone through the expansion process and had priority over Boston.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert had earlier suggested that Houston was next in line, mentioning it during a news conference while announcing three new expansion teams.
