Case Study: Boston Celtics achieve confident $6.1B acquisition planning with KPMG financial, tax and luxury tax advisory

Boston Celtics secure $6.1B ownership deal with KPMG

The Boston Celtics' new majority owner, William "Bill" Chisholm, faced the immense challenge of acquiring the legendary NBA franchise for $6.1 billion. He needed to navigate the deal's high-profile nature, complex NBA financial rules, and volatile cash flows while ensuring sufficient liquidity post-acquisition. To achieve this, he engaged the KPMG Deal Advisory and Tax teams for financial due diligence and tax structuring services.

KPMG provided bespoke financial modeling to forecast cash flow and untangle complex luxury tax implications, ensuring the client had a clear understanding of net cash requirements for the first six months. Their tax specialists designed an investor waterfall structure that balanced all parties' interests while complying with NBA rules and US tax law. The KPMG team's work provided the confidence needed to complete the high-value acquisition securely and without any surprises, enabling the new ownership group to build on the team's legacy from day one.

Boston Celtics