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Editor’s Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR’s daily morning newsletter, WBUR Today. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here.
In the wake of the news that six-time Olympic gold medalist and UConn legend Diana Taurasi is retiring from the WNBA after 20 years, here’s a look at the effort to bring the league to the Bay State:
Could the WNBA finally come to Boston? Two high-profile Massachusetts natives are trying to make it happen. As The Boston Globe first reported, boy band singer-turned-actor Donnie Wahlberg and former NBA player Michael Carter-Williams (who grew up in Hamilton) are spearheading a fledgling effort to bring a WNBA team to Boston. But as the Associated Press reports, the path to getting a team here — whether by expansion or acquisition — is no layup.
Expansion route: The Boston bid comes at a time of big growth for the WNBA — both in popularity and in size. The 12-team league is expanding to San Francisco, Toronto and Portland over the next two years — plus a 16th city in 2028 (that is reportedly likely to be Cleveland). It’s very possible the league could expand beyond 16 teams. But as the AP notes, Boston has competition from at least eight other cities with their own celebrity backers. Acquisition route: The nearest team, the Connecticut Sun, drew a sold-out crowd for the first-ever WNBA game at TD Garden last summer. What about moving them to Boston permanently? Carter-Williams told the AP they would “absolutely” be interested in buying the Sun, but the team’s owners haven’t expressed interest in selling — and generally oppose Boston getting a team. Why don’t we have a WNBA team in the first place? Several teams share owners and arenas with their NBA counterparts. However, when the WNBA was founded in the 1990s, the Celtics — then under different ownership — reportedly had no interest. As The Athletic reported in 2019, there are two main reasons why: First, the Bruins — not the Celtics — own TD Garden, meaning a WNBA would have to pay pricey rent. Second, the Celtics were focused at the time on rebuilding their own team, following the tragic deaths of Len Bias and Reggie Lewis. “We felt that we had to take care of the basketball from a Celtics perspective before we could be trying something else,” former Celtics general manager Jan Volk said. In the meantime: The Sun are set to play another game at TD Garden this season on July 15, when they’ll host the Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark. (Tickets are not cheap.)
Massachusetts residents could see a temporary reprieve in those high heating bills over the next two months. Eversource and National Grid are offering a 10% reduction in gas bills for March and April, after the state’s Department of Public Utilities ordered them to reduce bills by at least 5% to help residents dealing with sticker shock. (DPU officials will decide whether to green-light the plans this Friday.)
How much will I save? Technically, nothing. According to the Globe, the utility companies say the adjusted rates will save the typical customer between $20 and $40 a month in March and April. However, they’ll recover that money via higher rates during the six-month “off-peak” season that starts in May, when the weather is warmer and heating bills tend to be less painful.
On Beacon Hill: Democratic leaders have reached a deal on the $425 million emergency shelter bill, after ironing out some small differences between the versions passed by the House and Senate.
The bill funds the system through June, but imposes new eligibility rules, reduces the maximum shelter stay for most individuals from nine months to six and decreases the cap on the number of families in the system from 7,500 to 4,000 in 2026. State House News Service has more details on the legislation here. What’s next: The House voted to adopt the bill yesterday, and the Senate is expected to send it to Gov. Maura Healey’s desk today.
Heads up, Android users: After launching for iPhones last fall, the T’s new “MBTA Go” app is now available on Android devices. The app includes a map of the system’s train lines and bus routes, as well as real-time updates on arrival times, delays, shuttles and more.
The fabric and crafts chain Joann is going out of business and closing all of its nearly 800 stores — including 20 in Massachusetts. Liquidation sales are set to start immediately and go on for “a number of weeks.” But if you have a gift card, you have until Friday to use it.
P.S.— If your weekend plans are up in the air, check out our arts and culture teams’ list of local event recs — including a Dr. Seuss birthday party in Harvard Square and celebration of cymbals in Boston.
