Friedkin in the mix to acquire Boston Celtics

Roma president Dan Friedkin could extend his sports ownership to the American NBA.

The race to buy the Boston Celtics, one of the most iconic franchises in the NBA, is heating up and among the contenders is Dan Friedkin, owner of Roma and Everton.

According to Sportico, the Friedkin Group, together with Stan Middleman and William Chisholm, has passed the first stages of the sales process and is among the groups still in the running to acquire the team.

Among the most credible rivals is Steve Pagliuca, current investor of the Celtics and co-owner of Atalanta. The next round of offers is expected by the end of the week.

The value of the franchise is around 5.66 billion dollars, a figure that could mark a record for the purchase of an NBA team.

However, the Celtics do not own their own arena and only have a limited share in the local television network, elements that could affect the final valuation.

Pagliuca, considered the favorite at the moment, has hired two investment banks, Allen & Co. and Raine, to support him in the operation.

On the other hand, Friedkin boasts a net worth of 7.5 billion dollars and has recently expanded his sports portfolio with the purchase of Everton in the Premier League.

The current owners of the Celtics, the Grousbeck family, announced their intention to sell last July, a few weeks after the team’s eighteenth NBA title.

The initial plan called for a two-part sale: 51% immediately and the rest in 2028, but it is unclear whether this strategy will be maintained in the final stages of the negotiation.

In fact, the NBA is reviewing the sales procedures following the difficulties encountered in the transfer of ownership of the Minnesota Timberwolves.