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ESPN Daily

Why the Championship Celtics Are For Sale

ESPN Daily

ESPN

Sports

4.63.9K Ratings

🗓️ 11 July 2024

⏱️ 27 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

After 22 years, Wyc Grousbeck and his family announced they’ll be selling their controlling stake in the Boston Celtics. The announcement marks a seismic moment not just for the Celtics, but for the NBA. Our own Tim Bontemps is here to talk about how the sale of one of the most iconic franchises in the world connects to greater trends in sports team ownership worldwide, and to explain who or what entity could be Jayson Tatum  and Jalen Brown’s new boss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Tim Bontems, the Celtics won their 18th NBA title on June 18th.

0:06.0

They had a victory parade and then owner Witt Grisbeck was seen carrying the Larry O'Brien

0:12.0

Trophy through the streets of Boston.

0:14.0

It feels like we got more to do. I mean, I got to go design a ring with the guys.

0:18.0

We got to raise a banner in October. There's more to do.

0:21.0

But we're going to build the team for next year. We're going to

0:23.2

enjoy this for now though. But then less than a fortnight later, what happened?

0:28.9

The Celtics announced they were selling the tea. And it's just weeks after winning their 18th championship. The Celtics are up for sale.

0:43.2

I can tell you this news came as a shock to everyone including those inside the Celtics organization.

0:48.6

This is a fascinating moment because what Witt Grusbach, the the controlling owner wants to do

0:54.0

is he wants to sell the team

0:56.0

but not actually give up the control of the team for another four years.

1:00.0

And if you want to go ahead and get a return on your investment

1:02.0

and maybe a little bit extra on the side,

1:04.8

you go ahead and you sell while they're hot and the Celtics are hot.

1:07.6

I would expect that this sale would smash all the existing records for the purchase of a sports franchise in the world.

1:15.2

That's how valuable the Celtics are right now.

1:17.0

I saw this news and it was one of those deals where you sort of felt like, oh, well that's a real gut punch after a title how did that feel

1:24.8

embossed just on the surface level to you it did feel like that to me I mean this is a

1:29.3

team that was sort of a Shakespearean run right where they keep running up against it

1:34.4

they keep losing a heartbreaking fashion in the playoffs and there's a lot of

1:38.9

questions about you know are Jason Tatum and Janlin Brown compatible which were

...

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