New Celtics Owner Releases Statement After Purchasing Team

On Thursday, private equity director William "Bill" Chisholm became the newest owner of the Boston Celtics. Purchasing a controlling stake in the franchise for a record valuation of $6.1 billion, Chisholm will take the reins from the current ownership group led by Wyc Grousebeck over the coming years; Grousebeck will reportedly stay on in his role as team governor during the transition.

Shortly after the news dropped, Chisholm released his first statement as owner of the Celtics via Business Wire.

"Growing up on the North Shore and attending college in New England, I have been a die-hard Celtics fan my entire life," he said. "I understand how important the Celtics are to the city of Boston – the role the team plays in the community is different than any other city in the country. I also understand that there is a responsibility as a leader of the organization to the people of Boston, and I am up for this challenge.

"My partners and I have immense respect for Wyc, the entire Grousbeck family and their indelible contributions to the Celtics organization over the last 23 years. We look forward to learning from Wyc and partnering with Brad Stevens, Joe Mazzulla and the talented team and staff to build upon their success as we work to bring more championships home to Boston."

Grousebeck also released a statement on Chisholm's purchase.

"Bill is a terrific person and a true Celtics fan, born and raised here in the Boston area," Grousbeck said. "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."

It is a new era in Boston, and how (if at all) things will change will become apparent sooner rather than later.