The Boston Celtics are entering a new era after the franchise was sold for a record-breaking $6.1 billion, marking the most expensive sale in North American sports history. The deal sees longtime owners, the Grousbeck family, hand over control of one of the NBA’s most successful franchises to Bill Chisholm, a private equity executive with deep ties to New England.

This sale surpasses the 2023 sale of the Washington Commanders to Josh Harris, which was previously the largest transaction in U.S. sports history at $6.05 billion. The Celtics’ ownership change comes after the franchise secured the 2024 NBA championship, a fitting conclusion to the Grousbecks’ two-decade reign.

Who is Bill Chisholm, the Celtics’ new owner?

A native of Massachusetts, Bill Chisholm is a highly successful investor who made his fortune in private equity. He is the Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer at Symphony Technology Group (STG), a firm he helped establish in 2002.

His business specializes in investing in software, data and analytics companies and has reportedly managed assets worth $10 billion as of March 2023, according to Sportico.

Chisholm’s New England roots run deep. He attended Dartmouth College in New Hampshire and spent much of his career working at leading financial institutions, including Bain & Company and PaineWebber, before founding The Valent Group.

His strong local ties and financial acumen make him a logical successor to the Grousbeck family as the new steward of the Celtics.

What’s next for the Celtics under new leadership?

With Chisholm now at the helm, Celtics fans are eager to see what changes, if any, he will make to the historic franchise. The team is already a championship contender, led by Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and a strong supporting cast. The Grousbeck era saw multiple deep playoff runs, culminating in another NBA title in 2024.