Boston Celtics

Grousbeck talks new Celtics jersey sponsor, cracks Tatum contract joke

The defending NBA champions will have a new patch on their jerseys in 2024-25.

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The Boston Celtics' eventful offseason continued Tuesday with another update on the business front.

The Celtics announced a multi-year partnership with the Rhode Island-based insurance company Amica, which will replace Vistaprint as the team's jersey patch partner beginning in the 2024-25 season.

Celtics co-owner Wyc Grousbeck was on hand for the sponsorship announcement Tuesday morning outside TD Garden, and while he didn't address the ownership group's surprising decision to sell the team, Grousbeck couldn't resist joking about the timing of the Celtics' new deal with Amica after the front office handed a five-year, $314 million contract extension to superstar Jayson Tatum earlier this month.

"You can basically say you're just funding Jayson Tatum -- for like, a couple weeks," Grousbeck quipped.

Grousbeck -- whose family, led by his father, Irving Grousbeck, owns a controlling stake in the team -- shed more light on the Celtics' pending sale Monday in an interview with CNBC, confirming that he plans to stay on until 2028, when the sale is fully completed.

"The expectation is to sell the team in two parts: 51 percent going fairly soon, 49 percent then closing in a second closing in 2028," Grousbeck told CNBC. "I'm planning or expecting to stay on until '28, and we're going to hire bankers and advisors. This is going to be quite a bidding process."

There should be plenty of interest in the Celtics, who are fresh off their 18th championship and are valued at $5.1 billion, per Sportico. In the meantime, however, Grousbeck is still relishing in the franchise's latest success: The C's co-owner gleefully recapped the results of Boston's four 2024 playoff series while discussing its new partnership with Amica.

"(Amica is) highly rated ... When you read through it, it's Consumer Reports, Forbes and J.D. Power -- top marks from all," Grousbeck said.

"Our ratings are similar: the Miami Heat 4-1 (in the first round) -- what are they going to say? The Cavaliers 4-1 (in the second round), the Pacers 4-0 (in the Eastern Conference Finals), the Mavs 4-1 (in the NBA Finals). So, we've got some people signing our chits as well. I think it's a great time to bring the two companies together."

Check out the video player above to hear more from Grousbeck from Tuesday's sponsorship announcement.

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