Celtics: New Owner, Same Plan

Sport & Story Daily August 20, 2025: The Boston Celtics have a new owner, but the drive to add more championships hasn't changed.

August 20, 2025

“Coming in second is not the objective, and it’s not acceptable,” private equity mogul Bill Chisholm said after taking control of the team. “The ultimate yardstick is winning championships.”

August 20, 2025

AP Photo/Charles Krupa, file

The Boston Celtics Have a New Owner. The Drive to Add More NBA Championships Won’t Change
“Coming in second is not the objective, and it’s not acceptable,” private equity mogul Bill Chisholm said Tuesday after taking control of the team from Wyc Grousbeck. “The ultimate yardstick is winning championships. Wyc’s got two, and we’re going to get more, and he and I together are going to help drive that.”

Chisholm leads a group that bid $6.1 billion for the Celtics — a record price for an American professional sports franchise. The NBA unanimously approved the deal last week, and all that was left was for the money to change hands on Tuesday.
AP News

Jazz, Mammoth Owners Add Music Venue to Downtown Salt Lake Plans
Sportico’s Jason Clinkscales writes, “Smith Entertainment Group, the holding company of the NBA’s Utah Jazz and the NHL’s Mammoth, has announced a joint venture with Live Nation to build a new live music venue next door to a reimagined Delta Center.

“The added building, a 6,000-seat ‘state of the art’ venue, is part of a revitalization plan for downtown Salt Lake City headlined by the $900 million multiyear renovation of the larger sports arena. Ryan and Ashley Smith, the founders of SEG and business software company Qualtrics, have previously pledged to invest $3 billion into the downtown development.”
Sportico

Sources: Connecticut Sun Eye Options With WNBA to Salvage Sale
ESPN’s Alexa Philippou and Ramona Shelburne write, “The Connecticut Sun ownership intends to present multiple options to the WNBA as it looks to salvage what would have been a record-breaking $325 million franchise sale, sources with knowledge of the situation told ESPN.

“The Mohegan tribe, which has owned the franchise since buying and relocating the Orlando Miracle in 2003, is seeking clarity on the league's desired path forward for the organization, sources said, after an agreement to sell the team to a group led by former Boston Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca was met with resistance from the league office.”
ESPN

Potential New Trail Blazers Ownership Would Bring ‘Swagger,’ Hopes to Close Deal By End of March
Dundon, the owner of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, has reached an exclusivity agreement with Paul Allen’s estate, which means there will be no negotiations with other interested buyers. Dundon’s group is in the process of negotiating documents, but the source close to Dundon says all major points have been agreed upon.
The Athletic

Daytona Beach News-Journal

$6.2B Nexstar-Tegna Deal Could Create Local Sports Juggernaut
FOS’ Eric Fisher writes, “Just as over-the-air television asserts a key role in sports broadcasting’s future, a potentially market-shaking deal looks to redefine this part of the industry. Texas-based Nexstar Media Group has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Tegna Inc. in an all-cash deal that values the fellow broadcaster at $6.2 billion. While not strictly about sports, the deal, if it closes, will create a powerful entity with 265 stations in 44 states and the District of Columbia, covering 132 of the 210 top television markets, including 9 of the top 10.”
Front Office Sports

MLB Nears Media Shake-Up: ESPN, NBC, Netflix In, Apple Out?
Kendall Baker of Yahoo Sports reported via FOS Tuesday that Apple TV+’s time with Friday Night Baseball would come to an end while NBC and its streaming service Peacock are poised to possibly pick up MLB’s Friday and Sunday night rights, as well as the Wild Card playoff round. Meanwhile, Netflix will reportedly get the Home Run Derby.
Front Office Sports

ESPN Plans to Bundle ESPN DTC, NFL+ Premium
In addition to previously announced bundles with Disney+/Hulu and Fox One, ESPN will bundle its full DTC service (which launches Thursday, Aug. 21) with NFL+ Premium at a monthly price of $39.99. The bundle will launch Sept. 3 and include NFL+ Premium offerings (NFL Network, RedZone and other content).
Sports Business Journal

Nashville Stars

Nashville Group Ready for Possible MLB Expansion
SBJ’s Mike Mazzeo writes, “Music City Baseball, a local ownership platform looking to bring an MLB team to Nashville, is continuing preparations in advance of a possible expansion opportunity. While the process is still years away, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred brought the possibility of expansion and realignment back to the forefront on Sunday while appearing on ESPN during the Little League Classic.”
Sports Business Journal

Cleveland WNBA

Cleveland WNBA Appoints Allison Howard as President
Howard will lead the business operations of the team for its inaugural season in 2028. She will continue in her roles as Rock Entertainment Group and Cavaliers EVP and Chief Commercial Officer until the end of the 2025-26 NBA season.
Sports Business Journal

United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee. Vice President, Games Hospitality
The Vice President, Games Hospitality leads the strategic vision and execution of all donor Games Hospitality experiences for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Foundation (USOPF), with a focus on delivering immersive, mission-driven programming during the Olympic and Paralympic Games. As the senior-most leader in this space, the VP ensures that every element—from program design to on-site execution—reflects the excellence and prestige of Team USA. In close partnership with the Director of Hospitality Logistics, the VP oversees the planning and delivery of intricate, high-touch programs that drive donor engagement and long-term support. Apply Now.

Los Angeles Sparks. Director of Integrated Marketing
The 3-time WNBA Champions Los Angeles Sparks are growing! The organization is seeking a Vice President of Human Resources, who will be responsible for leading the implementation of initiatives that attract, develop, and retain top talent for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women’s National Basketball Association. They are looking for a leader who will take ownership of human resources processes, policies and practices that drive accuracy, efficiency and compliance. This Indvidual is a collaborative, accountable leader who thrives in a dynamic environment. This position will work under the direction of the teams’ President. Apply Now.

Playfly Sports. Director/Senior Director, Sales, Paragon Properties
The Director/Senior Director, Sales, Paragon Properties will be a strategic and results-driven sales leader, focusing on driving partnerships across a portfolio of elite high school content and events, produced by Paragon Marketing Group. This position will be an outbound sales role, focused on client-direct sales efforts to secure multi-year sponsorships, tapping into local, regional and national budgets, while working collaboratively with key stakeholders across all of Playfly’s business units. The Director/Senior Director will play an integral role in devising and executing a revenue growth strategy, leveraging deep industry knowledge, a strong network, and consultative sales techniques. Apply Now.

Major League Baseball (MLB). Director, Content & Marketing Analytics
MLB is hiring a Director, Content & Marketing Analytics to help ensure its efforts to reach, retain, and grow baseball’s fanbase are successful. The role will provide analyses and strategic insight into MLB’s Content and Marketing efforts to inform, engage, and monetize its audiences. This position will lead both Content and Marketing analytics teams and focus on leveraging data to improve marketing and content performance for Major League Baseball and its Clubs. The ideal candidate will be an experienced analytical and technical leader with deep understanding of both creative/content distribution and marketing attribution. They will thrive in a fast-paced, proactive, and collaborative environment. Apply Now.

Looking to fill an open position with top talent in the sports media industry? Advertise in the Sport & Story Daily to reach over 25,000 senior-level executives and professionals—and connect your job opportunity with the right audience.

Melina Myers-Imagn Images

Virginia Tech’s Perceived $56M Budget Gap Shows New Challenges
FOS’ David Rumsey writes, “A recent plea from Virginia Tech AD Whit Babcock for more athletic department funding showcases the growing number of challenges facing Division I programs—particularly those not at the top of the college sports food chain.”

“If you want to compete near the top of the ACC, our budget needs to be $200 million,” Babcock told Virginia Tech’s board of visitors on Monday, noting the Hokies are projected to spend roughly $144 million during the 2025–26 fiscal year. 
Front Office Sports

Could Real Estate Be Private Equity’s Clearest Path into College Athletics?
SBJ’s Bret McCormick writes, “Considerable brain power has been spent in the last two years pondering ways private equity could invest in college athletics. While PE taking ownership stakes in conferences, league media rights deals or athletic departments has been floated, investment in real estate and facilities appears to be one of the cleanest avenues through which more private capital enters college athletics.”
Sports Business Journal

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