BOSTON -- The NBA’s Boston Celtics have sold for a record $6.1 billion, the most ever for a North American sports franchise, to a group led by private equity executive William Chisholm.
Chisholm, managing partner at Symphony Technology Group, will purchase the Celtics from Boston Basketball Partners LLC, which last summer announced intentions to sell the NBA franchise.
The $6.1 billion deal, pending NBA Board of Governors approval, would surpass the previous record $6.05 billion price the NFL’s Washington Commanders sold for in April 2023. Boston Basketball Partners purchased the Celtics for $360 million in 2002, according to Sportico.
Chisholm, a Boston-area native, leads an investment group that includes Rob Hale, a current Celtics minority owner, and Bruce Beal, president of Related Companies, according to a news release.
“Growing up on the North Shore and attending college in New England, I have been a die-hard Celtics fan my entire life,” Chisholm said. “I understand how important the Celtics are to the city of Boston – the role the team plays in the community is different than any other city in the country. I also understand that there is a responsibility as a leader of the organization to the people of Boston, and I am up for this challenge.”
Wyc Grousbeck, whose family leads Boston Basketball Partners, will continue in his role as the Celtics’ CEO and governor through the 2027-28 NBA season.
“Bill is a terrific person and a true Celtics fan, born and raised here in the Boston area,” Grousbeck said. “His love for the team and the city of Boston, along with his chemistry with the rest of the Celtics leadership, make him a natural choice to be the next Governor and controlling owner of the team.
“I know he appreciates the importance of the Celtics and burns with a passion to win on the court while being totally committed to the community. Quite simply, he wants to be a great owner. He has asked me to run the team as CEO and Governor for the first three years, and stay on as his partner, and I am glad to do so,” he added.
The Celtics are the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Dallas Mavericks in five games in the 2024 NBA Finals. The Celtics have won 18 NBA championships in its history, the most of any franchise.