Celtics’ Owner Takes Aim At Warriors’ Fans

The Boston Celtics are known for having one of the best fan bases in the NBA. The TD Garden is packed almost every game, and players from around the league often note how there’s a consistent playoff atmosphere, even during the regular season.

During a recent appearance on the “White Noise” podcast, Bill Chisholm, who led the Celtics’ new ownership group in a recent $6.1 billion purchase of the franchise, explained why Boston’s fan base is so committed. Interestingly, Chisholm used the Golden State Warriors as a vehicle to make his point.

“I don’t like the Warriors,” Chisholm said, “But the Warriors, for people that live there, great, and they’ve been very successful. But people go to the game, they go home, and they have their dinner, and the Warriors win, lose, that’s fine. You got other things — you go to the beach, do whatever, go up to Tahoe. The Celtics lose, and people are depressed. On Friday, I was like, ‘I just can’t wait for Sunday now, because that was tough.’ And, like, people—it’s different. People really internalize it here.”

Chisholm’s comments make sense. Boston is a city that’s deeply rooted in its sports culture. You can feel the passion of the fans when walking around the city, regardless of what sport they choose to consume.

The fact that Chisholm doesn’t like the Warriors will also sit well with Celtics fans. After all, it was Steve Kerr’s team that defeated Boston during the 2022 NBA Finals, forcing Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to wait another two seasons before winning their first championship ring.

This season, the Celtics are giving everyone a reason to cheer. Joe Mazzulla’s squad is outperforming expectations, and if Tatum can return from his Achilles tendon injury, it could emerge as the best squad in the Eastern Conference.

Chisholm is in his first season as the owner of the Celtics. If the team keeps improving, and he continues to praise the fan base, his tenure will certainly be off to a good start.