Liverpool owners FSG 'in the final three' to complete most expensive purchase in history - 'I gasp'

Fenway Sports Group (FSG) are in the final three parties to complete a purchase of a new team, it has been claimed.

FSG boast an impressive portfolio that contains Liverpool, Major League Baseball outfit the Boston Red Sox and National League Hockey side the Pittsburgh Penguins. What’s more, NASCAR’s RFK Racing are also in under the Boston-based group’s umbrella along while they spearheaded a consortium named the Strategic Sports Group to invest up to $3 billion in the PGA Tour earlier this year.

However, FSG have long been linked with adding an NBA team to their list of assets. Basketball legend LeBron James, a lifetime partner in the firm, has declared his intentions to own a franchise when he retires. Meanwhile Gerry Cardinale - the managing partner of FSG minority stakeholder RedBird Capital - revealed he has been working on a deal with John Henry & Co. and James to buy a team in Las Vegas should the NBA expand.

But to many people’s surprise, the Boston Celtics came on the market. Despite being the most successful basketball outfit in history, having won their 18th championship this year, Wyc Grousbeck has put his controlling shareholding on the market. The New York Post reported that FSG were ‘seriously considering bidding’ for the Celtics.

And it is claimed by Courtney Cox, speaking on The Greg Hill Show, that FSG are in the last three to buy the Celtics along with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and and Wynn Encore.

Cox said: “I was chatting with someone I’m close with and trust inexplicitly. He or she was telling me about the Celtics and there are three finals groups. This person, not from the area - Jeff Bezos is one, Wynn Encore is number two. I say he or she is not from the area as they say the final is someone I don't know - Sam Kennedy... and I gasp.

“It says Sam Kennedy (CEO of FSG) and group - which is, of course, Fenway Sports Group. It does not say Fenway Sports Group, it says Sam Kennedy. Maybe that's why the cameras have gone away and there is no more speaking.”

It has been suggested that the Celtics would cost any prospective owner a fee of $6 billion. That would make it FSG’s biggest transaction to date by a significant margin. They paid around $900 million for the Pittsburgh Penguins in December 2021 and £300 million for Liverpool in 2010. NFL team the Washington Commanders was sold for $6.05 billion in July 2023, which made it the most expensive sports purchase in history.

However, Kennedy did deny to The Greg Hill Show July that FSG currently have ‘got our hands full’ when initially linked with the Celtics. He said: “I won't touch that one other than to say - we publicly put of a statement around Wyc and his family. As someone who grew up a diehard Celtic fan in the 1980s, they ushered in a new generation. Wyc has done ana amzing job, it was an epic job this year and my family are huge Celtic fans so I really congratulations to Wyc and his family.

“We'll see what the future holds for that organisation. He's committed to bringing in the right group and we'll see how that plays out but we have got our hands full.”