Tony Massarotti explains why, based on what’s he’s hearing, he doesn’t believe John Henry and the Fenway Sports Group are interested in buying the Boston Celtics.
If you're among the Boston fans who would rather see anyone but John Henry buy the Celtics, Tony Massarotti has some reassuring words for you.
Earlier this month, the New York Post's Josh Kosman reported that Fenway Sports Group -- the Henry-led holding company that owns the Boston Red Sox -- was "seriously considering" bidding for the Celtics, which became available after Boston Basketball Partners LLC announced their intent to sell a majority stake of the C's in July.
During Monday's episode of 98.5 The Sports Hub's Felger & Mazz radio show, however, Massarotti suggested Henry becoming the next Celtics owner is unlikely.
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"My understanding is that Fenway Sports Group does not want the Celtics," Massarotti said, as seen in the video player above. "... That's just my understanding. I'm not reporting that; I'm just telling you, I don't think they want the Celtics. That's what I'm hearing."
So, why wouldn't Henry want to pursue the Celtics, one the premier franchises in professional sports that just won its 18th championship and will be favored to win its 19th next fall? Why not add a second Boston team to a robust portfolio that includes the Red Sox, Liverpool FC and the Pittsburgh Penguins?
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Massarotti laid out a few reasons -- the first being financial. The Ringer's Bill Simmons reported Monday that the NBA wants a team like the Celtics to sell for $6 billion while noting there's "buzz" around multi-billionaire Jeff Bezos making a bid. Ponying up $6 billion would go against Henry's operating principle of buying relatively low for pro sports teams.
"When John Henry has bought franchises, he has bought undervalued signature franchises," Massarotti explained. "The Red Sox were undervalued and had greater capacity for growth than they were getting under the Yawkey Trust.. ... There was a lot of chance here for growth and income, which is why it interested the Fenway Sports Group.
"The same is true of Liverpool. The Penguins are an elite franchise. But they got all these assets at favorable prices. The Celtics are not at a favorable price."
Secondly, there have long been rumors that Henry and FSG are interested in owning an NBA expansion franchise, with Las Vegas and Seattle the next likely home cities for new teams. As Massarotti points out, it'd be smarter business to purchase one of those teams than the Celtics, who are about to be saddled with enormous luxury tax bills in the coming seasons due to their loaded roster.
"If it's going to cost $6 billion, they'd almost be better off getting their own franchise and starting from scratch instead of inheriting the tax bill that's gonna come with the Celtics in a couple of years," Massarotti said of Fenway Sports Group.
So, perhaps Henry and Co. are feeling out the price for the Celtics while biding their time for either Las Vegas or Seattle, leaving current majority owner Wyc Grousbeck with one less suitor for his franchise.
