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The game is expected to be sold out, which would set a franchise attendance record.
DeWanna Bonner leads the Connecticut Sun with 16.7 points per game.
The WNBA is coming to Boston.
The Connecticut Sun will play the Los Angeles Sparks at TD Garden on Tuesday at 7 p.m. It will be the first time the Sun have played a regular season game there.
On Friday, the Sun reported that the game was sold out, but verified resale tickets were available on Ticketmaster.com.
The 19,156 tickets sold mark the third-highest attendance at a WNBA game this season and the most tickets sold for a Sun game in franchise history.
“We are thrilled with the response our game at TD Garden has received in the Boston market,” Sun President Jen Rizzotti said in a statement. “It is truly special to make history by hosting the first professional women’s basketball game in this arena known for its incredible basketball quality and championship culture.”
“This is a great opportunity to promote the Connecticut Sun brand by playing a game that is more central to our fans in New England. Women’s sports are here to stay and this is a wonderful celebration and validation of that fact.”
The Sun enter the weekend with the second-best record in the league at 18-6. DeWanna Bonner, a five-time All-Star, is the team’s leading scorer with 16.7 points per game. All-WNBA Alyssa Thomas, who won a gold medal with Team USA in Paris, averages 11.4 points and is the team’s leading rebounder (9.2) and assists (7.6).
The Sparks are in fifth place in the Western Conference and enter the weekend with a 6-18 record. Dearica Hamby, who won a bronze medal with the US 3×3 team in Paris, is averaging 19.2 points and 10 rebounds, making her Los Angeles’ best player in both categories.
The Sun, along with Meet Boston, is hosting festivities in the area beginning Saturday, including a youth sports festival, a Sun Watch party and a street festival.
Here is a guide to the events:
Connecticut Sun Youth Sports Festival
When: Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: New Balance Running Track (91 Guest Street, Boston)
The festival includes 20-minute Sun Academy classes throughout the day, presentations from other leagues such as NWHL, PWHL, LGPA and Swarm AAU Basketball, STEM sessions on the science of basketball from Microsoft, mental toughness workouts sponsored by Daily Human, and an athlete wellness and conditioning session with Saysh, a sneaker company founded by Olympic sprinter Allyson Felix.
Young athletes can participate in the activities by showing their previously purchased game ticket or by purchasing a ticket at the festival entrance. Admission without a ticket is $10, cash only. Parents and family members can participate for free.
The following advanced Sun Academy Power Hour sessions are available for an additional registration fee:
10-11am: Ball handling and footwork
12-1pm: Jab steps and completion
2-3pm: Shooting and competition
Watch Party
When: Sunday, 2-5pm
Where: The game begins! Fenway (82 Lansdowne Street, Boston)
The Sun will host a watch party for the team’s 3 p.m. game in Atlanta against the Dream, with opportunities to win prizes, tickets and ticket upgrades. Rizzotti, who won a national title as a guard on UConn’s 35-0 team in 1995, will be in attendance.
Street festival
When: Tuesday, 3-7pm
Where: Canal Street in front of the TD Garden
Open to the public and hosted in partnership with the City of Boston and Meet Boston, the street festival will feature live music, fan giveaways and plenty of family activities leading up to the game, which begins at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on NBC Sports Boston.
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