Boston Celtics Sold in Landmark $6.1 Billion Deal to Bill Chisholm
In a sweeping, record-breaking move, private equity executive Bill Chisholm has agreed in principle to purchase the Boston Celtics from the Grousbeck family for $6.1 billion, marking the highest sale price ever paid for a North American sports franchise .
Chisholm, co-founder and managing partner of Symphony Technology Group (STG), is a lifelong Celtics fan hailing from Massachusetts . He leads a consortium that includes current minority owner Rob Hale, Bruce A. Beal Jr. of Related Companies, and investment firm Sixth Street .
The sale, which was first announced in March 2025, stipulates a two-part structure: upon approval by the NBA Board of Governors, Chisholm and his group will immediately acquire at least 51 percent of the franchise, with the remaining 49 percent held by the Grousbeck-led group until 2028—at which point it could be sold at a valuation up to 20 percent higher, depending on league revenue growth .
Importantly, Wyc Grousbeck—who led the original purchase of the team in 2002 for $360 million—will remain as CEO and governor of the Celtics through the 2027–28 NBA season .
As of August 2025, the sale is expected to close within the next two weeks, pending final sign-off from the NBA’s governing board, bringing the franchise officially into Chisholm’s hands in time for the 2025–26 NBA season .
This transaction eclipses the previous North American sports sale record—the $6.05 billion deal for the Washington Commanders in 2023—but was itself soon overshadowed by the $10 billion sale of the Los Angeles Lakers agreed upon in June 2025 .
Chisholm’s acquisition marks a new chapter in Celtics history—preserving leadership continuity while setting a new benchmark in the evolving economics of professional sports.
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