WNBA – WNBA’s Comets disbanding

HOUSTON (WNBA) - The WNBA's Houston Comets are one of the league's most famous teams but they are going out of business.

The WNBA have announced the team that captured the first four WNBA titles (from 1997-2000) will suspend operations for the 2009 campaign.

“Multiple investors have come forward and expressed significant interest in purchasing the Comets and having them continue to play in Houston in 2009,” WNBA president Donna Orender announced in a statement on the league's website.

“However, we made the judgment that we would not be able to complete a transaction with the right ownership group in time for the 2009 season.

"The WNBA is extremely grateful to the Comets organization, to the city of Houston and to the team’s loyal fans for helping build both the WNBA and the game of women’s basketball.”

Some of international basketball's most famous players have been on the books of the Comets like Team USA's Tina Thompson and former Brazil national team star Janeth.

Leslie Anderson was the first owner of the Comets and the club was a part of the Houston Rockets organization.

Anderson sold the team to Hilton Koch, a businessman in Houston, in October 2006 and he broke away from the Rockets and created a new front office.

Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, twice voted the WNBA's Most Valuable Player and a member of the league-title winning teams, said in the Houston Chronicle: "This is disturbing news.

"This is a team that was an integral part of the WNBA. It is a team that helped establish the league, helped the league grow roots."

Former coach Van Chancellor, who led the USA women at the Athens Olympics to a gold medal and is now the coach at LSU, also said in the Houston Chronicle: "It's a sad, sad, sad day for me.

"I just feel bad for everybody. I hate to see the city lose such a great franchise. I have so many memories.

"Houston is losing a big piece of its history. The Houston Comets' four championships will always be a big piece of WNBA history and a big piece of the city's history."

A WNBA Dispersal Draft involving Comets players will take place on December 8.

Thompson, who also played on the title-winning sides, is an unrestricted free agent along with fellow Olympian Hamchetou Maiga-Ba of Mali, Latasha Byears, Mwadi Mabika and Michelle Snow.

In the statement about the Comets published on the WNBA website, the league said: "Having concluded its 12th season in 2008 with increases in attendance, ratings, Web traffic, sponsorships and merchandise sales, the WNBA will play the 2009 season with 13 teams.

"The 2009 season also marks the first year of the WNBA’s new, eight-year television agreement with ESPN under which the league will receive a rights fee, a first for a women’s professional team sports league in the U.S."

FIBA