Wyc Grousbeck will not function governor of the Boston Celtics as soon as the franchise’s $6.1 billion sale to Invoice Chisholm is finalized, in accordance with ESPN.
Grousbeck is predicted to stay because the crew’s CEO and an alternate governor by 2028, however Chisholm — a managing accomplice at Symphony Expertise Group — will assume the governor title. The NBA’s board of governors was knowledgeable of the change in current days, and the sale is predicted to shut throughout the subsequent week.
Change in Plan From March Settlement
When the deal was introduced in March, the plan was for Grousbeck to remain on as governor and CEO for 3 extra seasons earlier than transitioning out of the position. On the time, he instructed ESPN that Chisholm had requested him to “run the crew as CEO and Governor for the primary three years” and stay a accomplice past that. Grousbeck known as Chisholm a “terrific individual and a real Celtics fan” when the settlement was reached.
Grousbeck’s family-led group purchased the Celtics in 2002 for $360 million, and he has served because the crew’s lead governor and CEO for many of his 23-year tenure. Underneath his management, Boston captured two NBA championships, in 2008 and 2024, whereas sustaining its standing because the league’s most embellished franchise with 18 titles. Solely the New York Yankees (27) and Montreal Canadiens (24) have gained extra championships amongst North American skilled sports activities groups.
The change in management marks a big shift for the Celtics, who’re getting into a transitional interval each on and off the court docket. Boston made sweeping roster modifications this offseason, breaking apart a lot of its 2024 title-winning core. That, mixed with the brand new possession construction, has fueled uncertainty heading into the 2025–26 season.
A New Celtics Period Underneath Invoice Chisholm
It’s unclear whether or not Grousbeck’s departure from the governor position was his choice or a transfer initiated by Chisholm. Comparable conditions have unfolded within the NBA earlier than, most notably when Mark Cuban bought a majority stake within the Dallas Mavericks in 2023 and ceded his governor position shortly afterward. In lots of instances, new homeowners choose to take full management of decision-making with out the affect of prior management.
Invoice Chisholm and his spouse, Kimberly Ford Chisholm, have already begun taking a hands-on strategy throughout the Boston neighborhood forward of the sale’s completion. Chisholm’s funding group will change into the Celtics’ controlling possession accomplice as soon as the transaction is finalized.
Grousbeck’s choice to promote his majority stake got here simply weeks after Boston defeated the Dallas Mavericks within the 2024 NBA Finals. The $6.1 billion sale set a North American file for the acquisition value of a sports activities franchise.
Whereas he’ll not be the Celtics’ lead voice on the league stage, Grousbeck will stay concerned within the crew’s operations over the subsequent three years in his CEO position, offering continuity throughout one of the crucial vital possession transitions in franchise historical past.
