Celtics Sale: Is $7.3B Too Much?
The Boston Celtics' sale could reach up to $7.3B:
- Private equity investor Bill Chisholm’s group will acquire a controlling stake this summer at an initial valuation of $6.1B
- The remaining interests won’t be purchased until 2028, with the final valuation potentially reaching $7.3B
Is this a good deal? At first glance, the price seems steep.
Especially considering that the Celtics don’t own their arena, meaning they don’t profit from ticket sales, concessions, or rental income from concerts and other events.
Plus, paying the on-court talent required to win championships is expensive. According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, payroll and tax penalties could cost the Celtics close to another record of $500M for the 2025-26 season.
However, for the NBA, this deal cements the league as home to the most valuable franchise in all of professional sports—despite declining ratings and the prevailing narrative of the NFL’s dominance.
The deal also has implications for league expansion in cities like Seattle or Las Vegas. While owners favor expansion fees, they might achieve similar financial gains by selling minority stakes in their teams at higher valuations—without further diluting media revenue.
The Boston Celtics sale raises a lot of questions.
