Atalanta, Stephen Pagliuca says goodbye to Boston Celtics after club sale

After this (very complicated) corporate transfer has been completed, in fact Stephen Pagliuca, and he was a minority shareholder in the group led by the Grousbeck family who in 2002 had taken over ownership of the historic green and white franchise, will no longer have direct commitments in the NBA and with the Celtics.

Pagliuca himself, through his investment fund Bain Capital, tried to buy the club but was unable to win it. in the complex auction (NBA rules do not allow for direct purchases by minority shareholders) closed by the consortium of billionaire William Chisholm, with his Symphony Technology Group, with the record offer of 6,1 billion dollars.

In reality, due to the strict rules of the NBA (due to the multi-year contracts in force), at least two competitive seasons will be needed to complete the ownership transition, in a transition where the outgoing ownership will continue to have the day-to-day management of the franchise.

The real exit from the Celtics will therefore take place in the summer of 2027, but it is conceivable that from now on Pagliuca will have greater possibilities in terms of energy, time and financial resources to be dedicated to Atalanta, of which he became co-owner just over three years ago, in February 2022.

It cannot be ruled out that the 70-year-old Brooklyn financier and his son Joseph (also involved in a management role with the Celtics), given their managerial expertise and experience gained in professional sports, may consider investing in another U.S. professional sports franchise.