The Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority (MTGA) has purchased a 50% share of the NLL franchise "that bowed out of Philadelphia," while the team's previous ownership "will retain the other" 50% as it relocates to Connecticut, according to Brian Hallenbeck of the New London DAY. The team, formerly known as the Wings, will "be renamed by the time it debuts" at the Mohegan Sun Arena in December. MTGA CEO Mitchell Etess said, "It's great demographics for our building, and great timing (calendar-wise)." The league's 18-game, late December-through-April regular season will "dovetail nicely" with the WNBA Sun's mid-May to August schedule. NLL Commissioner George Daniel said that when the arena's seating "is configured for lacrosse, its capacity will be about 7,700 to 8,000." That is "less than the league's average 2014 attendance of 9,425 fans per game and less than the arena's 9,323 capacity" for the WNBA. The Mohegan Tribe's "relatively modest investment" in the NLL franchise marks its "latest attempt to diversify the casino's nongaming offerings." Virtually all NLL games are "played on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays" (New London DAY, 8/7). Etess said, "We have the building, we own the building. Having a good building deal is critical to a franchise doing well." He added, "It's a really great expansion of us" (Norwich BULLETIN, 8/7).
