The Phoenix Suns are reacquiring the ownership interest in the Phoenix Mercury currently held by Anne Mariucci and Kathy Munro, as announced today by Suns president and chief operating officer, Rick Welts.

In February 2004, the Mercury announced that Mariucci and Munro were investing with the Suns in a deal that would eventually lead to the two owning 25 percent of the team. It was the only time in the WNBA’s 8-year history that an NBA team has partnered with outside investors in the ownership of a WNBA team.

Since the Suns announced last June that an investment group led by Robert Sarver was buying the NBA team along with the Mercury and Arizona Rattlers, a number of different ownership scenarios were seriously explored by Mariucci, Munro and the new Suns ownership group.

“In the end, the new Suns ownership came to the conclusion it was important to have complete ownership and control of the Mercury,” said Welts. “We can’t thank Anne and Kathy enough for their hard work and commitment to the Mercury and to the WNBA over the past year.”

“Both Anne and I have nothing but the highest regard for the Mercury and the WNBA,” said Munro. “While we are very disappointed that a deal which would have increased our ownership and management responsibility was not consummated, we are no less enthusiastic about the future of the team and the league.”

Mariucci added, “If anything, our passion for the Mercury and the WNBA has increased over the last year. We leave with nothing but the highest regard for everyone we worked with – the players, coaches, front office and league management of the WNBA. We sincerely hope that the future brings us another opportunity to be involved in WNBA ownership.”