Bill Chisholm buys Boston Celtics for a record $6.1 billion

Bill Chisholm buys Boston Celtics for a record $6.1 billion

Bill Chisholm, who’s a managing partner at Symphony Technology Group, is buying the Boston Celtics for a record $6.1 billion, ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported Thursday.

BREAKING: Bill Chisholm, managing partner at Symphony Technology Group, has agreed to purchase the Boston Celtics from the Grousbeck family for a valuation for $6.1 billion, sources tell ESPN. This now is the largest sale for a sports franchise in North America. pic.twitter.com/iPphqSQswe

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 20, 2025

The process still has to go through the NBA’s board of governors. But assuming the deal goes through–he needs at least 23 (or 75 percent) of the votes–the deal will be the richest deal to purchase any North American Sports team in history.

The Timberwolves were just sold to Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore for $1.5 billion, for perspective. While that sale was originally completed in 2021, it’s crazy to believe that Chisholm quadrupled that price. Though the Celtics are not only one of the marquee brands in basketball, but in sports–in addition to the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks.

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The previous record for a team sold was the Washington Commanders, which sold for $6.05 billion to a group led by Josh Harris and Magic Johnson in the summer of 2023.

Celtics majority owner Wyc Grousbeck originally purchased the team for $360 million in 2002. Chisholm, who allegedly grew up a Celtics fan, is expected to own 51 percent of the team after Grousbeck put the team up for sale last July.

“When this opportunity came up, I couldn’t pass it up,” Chisholm said, according to Charania. “Wyc has done an incredible job running this franchise. So why would you mess that up? The team is in a great place right now, and I’m very sensitive to that. Wyc, Brad [Stevens] and Joe [Mazzulla] have done amazing jobs and that’s all goodness that we want to continue.

“This is the best sports franchise in the world — not just the United States and not just basketball. It’s the winningest team in the U.S. and the quality of what’s here is unmatched. I think about the potential and the legacy here, and I personally feel like I got a bargain.

“I’m a fan. That’s the most important thing. I bleed green. I’m up for the challenge.”

You want to talk about selling high–that’s exactly what the longtime owner did. The reigning champions were atop the basketball stratosphere last summer and, in this second apron economy, will become very very expensive without much flexibility in future seasons.

While the Celtics are still prime to compete for banners, one could argue there’s no better time to sell than right after winning a title if you have no interest in owning them anymore.

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