• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, October 22, 2025

Celtics Sale Has Made Ballmer’s $2B Clippers Stunner a Bargain

Steve Ballmer purchased the Clippers for $2 billion in 2014, then a record sale price for an NBA team.

Mar 16, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; LA Clippers guard James Harden (1) reacts against the Charlotte Hornets during the second half at Intuit Dome.
Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

Last week, Celtics ownership reached an agreement to sell the franchise to William Chisholm for $6.1 billion—a record sale price for a North American sports team.

The figure was eye-popping on its own and was about 50% more than the $4 billion Mat Ishbia paid for the Suns in 2023, which was the previous record price for an NBA team. But the number seemed even more inflated considering the purchase didn’t come with an arena. TD Garden, the Celtics’ home, is owned by the NHL’s Bruins. The Celtics have a lease until the end of the 2035–2036 season. 

The Celtics’ sky-high valuation can, in large part, be attributed to the scarcity factor—the fact that there is a clear, finite supply of sports franchises, Clippers president Gillian Zucker told Front Office Sports.

“The valuation of these teams is what someone will pay for them. There are so few of them, there’s only 30, they’re such a unique asset,” she said. “If you’ve had that much fortune in your life and you have the opportunity to own a team, I can’t imagine wanting to purchase anything else.”

If anyone knows what it’s like to be criticized for overpaying for an NBA franchise, it’s Clippers owner Steve Ballmer. The former Microsoft CEO purchased the Clippers in 2014 for $2 billion when the previous high for an NBA franchise sale was $550 million for the Bucks in 2012.

In 2014, the Clippers shared the Crypto.com Arena, then called the Staples Center, with the Lakers. And unlike the Celtics, the Clippers did not come with a rich history of winning.

But Ballmer invested heavily in the team, giving the team its own home in Los Angeles. He built a $2 billion arena—fully paid for through private funding—called the Intuit Dome, which opened this season. More than a decade later and the Clippers are valued at $5.5 billion by Forbes

“When Steve Ballmer bought the Clippers for $2 billion, people said he was out of his mind, that was crazy, there was no way [valuations] could continue to increase and look at them now, he looks like a genius,” Zucker told FOS.

It’s worth noting that Ballmer has a net worth of $117 billion, according to Forbes, making him the richest owner in all of pro sports. The New York Post reported last week that there is skepticism around Chisholm’s ability to fund the record sale.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

ESPN

‘Inside the NBA’ Keeps Irreverence Intact in ESPN Debut

The foursome were back together ahead of Wednesday’s doubleheader.
Tony Parker

NBA Wants to Launch European League in ‘Next Two Years’

The league is eyeing 10–12 cities for its European venture.
Giannis Antetokounmpo

DHS Is Arguing With an NBA Fan Account on Twitter

The official government account was arguing with an anonymous Bucks fan.

Featured Today

Christie's

Lou Gehrig’s $4M Jersey and the Exploding Sports Memorabilia Market

An ultra-rare sports collection is about to hit the auction block.
@chef__tezz/Instagram
October 19, 2025

Inside the NFL’s Private Chef Network

Private chefs are the unsung architects of player performance.
October 18, 2025

How Vanderbilt Went From SEC Doormat to Dark Horse CFP Candidate

After beating LSU, Clark Lea said: “Internally, we expect to win.”
May 27, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell (9) shoots a three point basket over New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) during the third quarter of game four of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse
October 18, 2025

NBA Stars Swap Wine With League Friends and Foes

A wine-exchange tradition emerged from the bubble season’s close quarters.
Sep 25, 2025; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics lead owner and governor Bill Chisholm speaks during a press conference at Auerbach Center.

The NBA’s Expanding Private-Equity Footprint

There is a PE connection of some kind for 20 of 30 teams.
Jason Belzer
October 17, 2025

College Sports Is ‘Too Big of an Opportunity’

Panelists at the Asset Class summit agreed college sports is the next frontier.
Oct 5, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees smiles prior to the game against the New York Giants at Caesars Superdome.
October 21, 2025

Drew Brees Flag Football League Sells to PE Amid Youth Boom

Football ‘N’ America operates 24 flag football leagues across the country.
Sponsored

Michelle Wie West: Women’s Sports Doesn’t Need Charity

The LPGA legend on redefining women’s sports and the future of golf.
Jon Ledecky
October 17, 2025

Islanders Owner Warns WNBA Against Labor Strife: ‘No Bueno’

Jon Ledecky drew a stark contrast between the two leagues.
Dave Checketts
October 17, 2025

Ex-Knicks President: When David Stern Accused Me of Skirting Cap

The Knicks walked away clean when accused of cap circumvention in the 1990s.
Mat Ishbia
October 14, 2025

Mat Ishbia Countersues Suns Minority Owners in Transparency Fight

He claims two minority partners are manufacturing a “contrived legal drama.”
October 14, 2025

Oura’s $11B Valuation Signals Leap From Sports to Defense

In addition to tracking athlete performance, Oura serves the federal government.