Celtics owner Bill Chisholm discussed his first season at the helm, managing dual roles and the team’s stance on TD Garden, according to a Q&A by Adam Himmelsbach of the BOSTON GLOBE. Questions and answers have been edited for clarity and brevity.
Q: What is your general view of how your first season as lead governor has unfolded?
Chisholm: “I feel just blessed to have the opportunity I do, and then for it to have gone how it has, it’s been magical.”
Q: How are you balancing this new role with still being managing partner at Symphony Technology Group in Silicon Valley?
Chisholm: “It’s worked well. We have a [home] in Boston and a place in California and that’s worked well. Previously, I went to a bunch of games, and I’m getting to a bunch of games now. I’d say one of the things that’s made it so seamless is we have [former lead governor Wyc Grousbeck] who did it for over 20 years and done it incredibly well. Then having what I would say is the best basketball executive there is in Brad [Stevens] and his team. Probably my biggest challenge is to incrementally improve things, but most importantly, ensure the culture stays intact. For me, the thing I’ve probably been most proud of is resisting the temptation of the new owner curse [of making too many changes], because it’s a very good situation and I certainly don’t take that for granted.”
Q: You’ve made it clear you think TD Garden is a good home and are in no rush to consider building a new arena. But you mentioned you were curious to hear fans’ views. What has the feedback been, and where do you stand now?
Chisholm: “It’s pretty much the same as it was at the beginning of the season. The philosophy there is the same. The Garden is a great place to play. It’s consistently ranked one of the best places in the league for player and fan experience. It’s loud, a lot of energy, and it’s got a storied history. My starting point is if we can make it work, we’d love to stay where we are. And making it work means improving the fan experience and the player experience. If we can do those things and remain where we are now, that’s great. And if that doesn’t work there, we’ll think about other places. But my goal here is to see if we ideally make it work where we are, and I think there’s a commitment with us, with the Bruins and Delaware North, with all of that” (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/6).