The Connecticut Sun, a Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) franchise based in Uncasville, Connecticut, has used two distinct primary logos since the team’s founding in 2003. The team’s name comes from its affiliation with Mohegan Sun, and its visual identity has consistently drawn on the cultural symbolism of the Mohegan Tribe, which owns the franchise.[1]
Design and History
The original Connecticut Sun logo was unveiled on March 27, 2003, following the Mohegan Tribe’s purchase and relocation of the former Orlando Miracle franchise.[2] The mark featured a fiery orange sunburst, a WNBA basketball, and a blue ribbon with four white semicircular domes.[3] The Connecticut Sun partnered with NBA Entertainment and Outthink, an integrated brand and marketing agency based in Essex, Connecticut, to create the logo. Numerous designs were developed with a focus on simplicity, imagery, and inclusion of a Mohegan Tribal symbol, which the team specifically requested.[2]
In January 2021, the team unveiled a new primary logo, an updated version of the franchise’s former secondary logo. The new mark was updated with the team’s official colors and removed the “SUN” lettering, replacing it with the outline of a basketball in the lower half.[4] The logo was derived from an old Mohegan symbol.[5] The design agency RARE Design worked with the Sun in 2021 to reimagine the team’s identity, describing the goal as evolving the existing mark rather than reinventing it.[6]
Meaning and Symbolism
The 2003 logo’s blue ribbon with four white semicircular domes is a modern interpretation of an ancient Mohegan symbol representing the four corners of the earth under the sky dome.[2][3] The team’s official colors are orange, navy blue, and white.[7]
The Mohegan symbol featured in the team’s identity carries layered cultural meaning. The center dot represents the spiritual life force, while 13 dots around it represent the Mohegan creation story, specifically the 13 sections on Grandfather Turtle’s back where earth was created. The same 13 dots also signify the 13 moons of the lunar year and the 13 generations removed from the tribe’s first chief, Uncas.[5]
Typography and Design
For the 2025 season campaign, RARE Design created a custom typeface named Keesusk, the Mohegan word for Sun, to anchor the team’s visual identity for that season.[6] The word “Keesusk” also appeared on the front of the team’s Nike Rebel Edition jersey, introduced in April 2021.[5]
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