Wyc Grousbeck Releases Statement Confirming Sale Of Celtics

Wyc Grousbeck on Thursday released a statement confirming the Boston Celtics reached an agreement to sell to an investor group led by William Chisholm.

The initial valuation is $6.1 billion and is pending approval by the NBA Board of Governors.

“Bill is a terrific person and a true Celtics fan, born and raised here in the Boston area,” Grousbeck wrote in a statement, per Business Wire. “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.”

Chisholm, who grew up in Massachusetts and graduated from Dartmouth, co-founded Symphony Technology Group (STG). In addition to Chisholm and Grousbeck, the investor group includes prominent Boston business executives like current Celtics minority owner Rob Hale, Bruce A. Beal, Jr., as well as Sixth Street, a global investment firm.

Former Celtics owner Steve Pagliuca released his own statement on the news, which hinted at frustration after he made his own historic and fully guaranteed deal.