The Boston Celtics are changing hands at a headline number that turns heads even in today’s frothy sports market. A group led by private-equity executive Bill Chisholm is acquiring the franchise for $6.1 billion, a new high-water mark for an NBA team and a fresh signal of where premium sports assets now sit. League approval is in place, and closing is expected to follow swiftly.
Deal terms position Chisholm’s consortium with immediate control while outlining a pathway to purchase the remaining equity by 2028. Outgoing governor Wyc Grousbeck, part of the 2002 group that bought the team for roughly a tenth of today’s price, will remain engaged through the handover window, providing continuity across basketball operations and the business side.
Beyond the sticker shock, the valuation reflects durable drivers: national and prospective global media rights, arena economics, and a brand that just lifted its record 18th championship in 2024. It’s a reminder that winning scales a balance sheet, but so does scarcity—of legacy teams, of big-market footprints, and of blue-chip fan bases that spend.
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