The Boston Celtics’ newest majority owner, Bill Chisholm, recently took part in a 1-on-1 interview with Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe, and there was plenty for fans to take away from it. The interview covered topics such as his thoughts on and relationship with the team during his first year, the approach in the upcoming offseason, and even thoughts on building a new stadium.
Bill’s first year
Chisholm is a self-proclaimed die-hard Celtics fan, and he can often be spotted on the sidelines of the team’s
home games at TD Garden. He’s been extremely present, without being apparently overbearing. He shared how he pleased he was to have the opportunity to be the leading governor of the Celtics, while also reflecting on the season so far.
“I’ve been following the Celtics forever, and this is my favorite team,” he said, adding “This is a fun team to root for. They play hard every night, they bring it, they execute, and there’s been a lot of really good leadership.”
He continued by saying that he feels “extremely welcome,” and that he’s trying to “find the right balance of being supportive and visible to them without making them feel like I’m looking over their shoulder.”
Wyc Grousbeck, the previous majority owner of the team, was beloved by fans. Not only did he help return the team to a winning culture which was briefly absent during the late 90’s and early 2000’s, he supported the team enough for them to deliver two championships during his tenure, and he did so while maintaining a fan-like presence.
Based on Chisholm’s answer, he seems to be taking a similar route, relishing in the opportunity to lead his favorite team while doing what he can to put them in the best possible position to succeed. He noted that he’s made an effort to build a relationship with all of the players and Joe Mazzulla, while also mentioning that he and Joe are “on the same page,” and that he’s a huge fan. Bill provided some well-deserved praise to Brad Stevens as well, saying “[Brad] and his team are tremendous.”
In terms of managing his new ownership duties along with his previously existing business responsibilities, Chisholm credited Grousbeck for making things “seamless” for him, saying that Wyc “did it for over 20 years and done it incredibly well,” while extending similar praise to Brad and the executive team for managing the basketball aspects.
In terms of challenges, Bill had this to say: “Probably my biggest challenge is to incrementally improve things, but most importantly, ensure the culture stays intact. For me, the thing I’ve probably been most proud of is resisting the temptation of the new owner curse [of making too many changes], because it’s a very good situation and I certainly don’t take that for granted.”
Celtics fans are likely equally grateful of Chisholm for not leaning into that temptation, and can certainly appreciate the transparency. In terms of things that he’s trying to improve, Bill didn’t have anything specific in mind. Instead, he said that he tries to get that pulse from Brad, assistant general manager Mike Zarren, and their team. He noted that Brad emphasizes culture more than anything, so that’s where the focus is currently.
The offseason approach
This upcoming offseason will be Chisholm’s first at the helm. When asked about how involved he intends to be, Bill had a simple message which fans will love: “I’ll do whatever it takes.”
Chisholm feels confident that he knows what that entails, mentioning that he’s taken the time to understand the CBA and the salary cap to stay informed, and to empower the team to make better decisions. He did say that “ultimately, I’m looking to Brad and [team president Rich Gotham] and their teams to make the recommendations, and I’m there to support them.”
Bill is cognizant of the fact that fans are afraid of the possibility that new ownership means cost cutting, treating the team as a business venture as opposed to something entwined with the lives of millions. He emphasized that he knows he has to prove himself from now until the time he passes the team along, and is eager to do so.
“We were completely aligned that we’re about winning. We’re going to compete, play hard, develop our talent, find additional talent, and this is not a gap year. We’re just not doing that. I can put my hand on heart saying that. I’ll prove it and I’ll continue to prove it every day, that I just want to win,” he said.
Reflections on Jayson and Jaylen
When asked about Jayson Tatum’s recovery from the torn Achilles, Bill was clearly amazed, saying “holy cow, he’s throwing up triple-doubles now.” He added that there was never any pressure for Tatum to come back, but they knew it was a possibility, and wanted to prepare the team for either reality.
Chisholm also reflected on how Jaylen Brown stepped up this season: “He’s always been incredible, but to have even another gear in Year 10 is really incredible. I think as a player he upped his game across all dimensions, but as a leader as well.”
Jaylen’s leadership clearly made an impression on Bill, who shared stories of seeing JB coaching and supporting his teammates on the sideline, or taking the game into his hands when the team was struggling. Chisholm added that Jaylen “absolutely should be first-team All-NBA, and for me he’s certainly my personal MVP.”
Thoughts on a new arena
Previously, Bill was asked whether he had any intentions of building a new stadium for the team to play in. At the time, he responded by saying that he believes TD Garden is a good home for the team, but he was curious to hear more from the fans.
The Globe resurfaced the discussion, asking Chisholm if the fans gave him any feedback on the idea, and if he changed his stance at all. Bill’s response was that “it’s pretty much the same as it was at the beginning of the season… The Garden is a great place to play… It’s loud, a lot of energy, and it’s got a storied history.”
Ideally, Bill wants the team to stay where it is. He did note that to make it work, he wants to improve both the fan and player experience. “If we can do those things and remain where we are now, that’s great. And if that doesn’t work there, we’ll think about other places,” he said.
He added that Celtics ownership and Bruins ownership is on the same page about their commitment to staying at TD as of now. “That’s where we want to end up and we’re working on it as we speak,” he said.
Boston and family
Bill currently splits time between Boston and California because of his other business dealings, but feels very warmly about Boston despite the harsh winter: “It’s a fantastic city, and to have the energy of what’s been going on with the Celtics, but also the Patriots’ run, it’s been a magical time for Boston as a city and a sports city. I always say it’s the best sports city in the country, so that’s been special.”
He added that he “grew up in the North Shore, but this is my first time living in the city proper, so there’s a lot of stuff that’s familiar and a lot that’s new as well.” He also mentioned that “it’s a dead heat” for who in his family is the biggest fan of the team between his wife, his three kids, and himself, of course. He called it a “gift” from the Celtics to give him the opportunity to share this experience with his kids, who are in their mid-to-late 20s.
