Madison Square Garden is known as ‘the Mecca’.
But over 200 miles away in Boston, Massachusetts, sits TD Garden, home of the NBA’s Boston Celtics (and the NHL’s Boston Bruins) and the real center of modern basketball.
TD Garden is New England’s largest sports and entertainment arenaGettyThe New York Knicks — who play their homes games inside MSG, a multi-purpose indoor arena in Midtown Manhattan– haven’t won an NBA championship since 1973.
That could all change this year, with the Knickerbockers currently leading the reigning champion Celtics 3-1 in the Eastern Conference semifinals with a pivotal Game 5 set for Wednesday night in Boston.
But even an improbable Knicks title — their third overall — would barely make a dent on the Celtics’ NBA record of 18 world championship banners that hang from the rafters inside TD Garden.
Replacing the original Boston Garden upon opening in 1995, TD Garden is the most visited sports and entertainment arena in New England, with nearly 3.5 million people visiting the arena each year.
And for good reason.
The award-winning state-of-the-art arena, estimated to be worth around $800 million, is a bustling cultural hub where sports, entertainment, dining, and shopping coalesce.
In 2014, over $70 million was invested for a comprehensive arena-wide renovation to upgrade the fan experience including redesigned concourses, new concession offerings and upgraded technology.
It’s also fully equipped with three private restaurants — Harbor View, Legends and the Level 5 Bistro — 90 executive suites, 1,100 club seats, a multi-million dollar high definition video scoreboard and complete 360-degree LED technology.
The Hub on Causeway, a 1,500,000 sq ft mixed-use development project adjoining TD Garden, is a vibrant district providing visitors with an unrivaled mix of restaurants, shops, and bars.
It replaced the original Boston Garden and opened in 1995Getty The Celtics share the arena with the NHL’s Boston Bruins, who are owned by Delaware NorthGettyMake no mistake, though, sport remains at the heart of the distinctly Bostonian destination.
Sports and history are tightly intertwined throughout the city of Boston, and history seeps from ever pore of the Celtics’ 19,600-capacity-arena built directly on top of Boston’s North Station, one of the city’s major transportation hubs.
TD Garden is located at 100 Legends Way — a nod to the numerous legends who have graced its iconic parquet floor.
Homages to prominent Celtics figures — Red Auerbach, Bill Russell, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown — adorn the hallowed halls of TD Garden, serving as a constant reminder that this is one of the most storied franchise in all of sports.
Taking in a game is a must-do for any hardcore or casual sports fan looking to tick off a bucket-list experience unlike any other.
The atmosphere inside the Garden buzzes with championship fever.
The Celtics’ home faithful — renowned for being one of the most passionate and loyal fanbases in the entire Association — erupts at every highlight reel play and word spoken by the PA’s distinctive voice.
The steep seating and low ceiling help trap sound, creating a cacophony of noise that makes the arena feel much louder and intense than many other larger venues.
TD Garden’s atmosphere of energy and emotion make it a must-visit, but its future, particularly when it pertains to the Celtics, remains uncertain.
Celtics fans are renowned for being passionate, vocal and loyalGetty TD Garden has one of the most intense and unique atmospheres in all of sportsGettyBack in March, Bill Chisholm, the California-based managing director and co-founder of Symphony Technology Group worth a reported $3 billion, agreed to buy the Celtics off the Grousbeck family, the C’s current owner, at a valuation of $6.1 billion.
The sale, which is pending approval by the NBA Board of Governors, represents a record for a North American sports team, surpassing the mark of $6.05 billion set by the NFL’s Washington Commanders in 2023.
Tatum’s injury — lamented by Barstool’s Dave Portnoy — and a spiralling $500m roster are two issues for Chisholm to consider when he eventually takes over, but so too is the situation with TD Garden.
Why? Because the Celtics don’t actually own the arena — instead, they are only tenants in their home venue, which is actually owned by the parent company of the Boston Bruins, Delaware North.
That may seem incidental, but it’s a simple fact that bears major financial implications.
It’s extremely rare that a sports franchise — especially one with a brand as strong and recognizable as the Celtics — don’t own the venue where they play.
It means the current Celtic’s ownership makes very little revenue from the Garden and they do not get the revenue from concessions, which instead go straight to TD.
The Celtics have a lease extension to remain at TD Garden through the 2035-36 season, but the relocation issue is one that refuses to go away, especially when real estate can greatly add to a team’s price and extra revenue would be massively helpful in solving the team’s current salary cap situation.
New owner Chisholm (center) could decide to build a new stadium once he officially takes overGetty The Celtics and TD Garden are at a crossroads in their relationshipGettyIt’s abundantly clear that the vast majority of Celtics fans would be vehemently against relocating out of downtown Boston.
“I personally hate the idea of the Celtics playing anywhere else besides the Garden,” one fan told talkSPORT during a tour of Boston back in February, courtesy of Meet Boston and MVP Travel.
Unfortunately, it’s not a decision that rests with fans — or even the city of Boston — with private owner Chisholm ultimately wielding the power to make the final call when he officially takes over.
“Right now the Celtics rent TD Garden, which is unreal,” John Borders IV, Director of Tourism, Sports & Entertainment for Boston told talkSPORT and others before news of the Celtics sale was announced.
“So this new ownership group can come in with a desire to build a whole new arena.
“We don’t have that large of a footprint in the city of Boston to erect something brand new like that without it taking a massive hit somewhere else.”
There are a number of potential relocation options should Chisholm wish to build a new stadium for his team.
The Seaport is an area in Boston which has received a lot of development recently, but Borders suggests Everett, a city directly north of Boston with a multi-billion dollar casino complex operated by Wynn Resorts, could be an option.
“There is space in Everett which has a casino, and there is space for either a soccer stadium or a basketball arena,” he says.
“But we as the city are trying to figure out what we can do to keep the Boston Celtics, the Boston Celtics.
“People would not want to see them move if they got their own arena and they were outside of the city. Why would you buy them just to relocate them?”
Ultimately, Borders doesn’t think a relocation will happen, but admits it’s out of the city’s control.
“It’s not under our control. We can offset certain things and we can work closely with the ownership group to see what space and land we have available and again try to make a deal to offset them moving. But there’s only so much we can do because it is a private owned group.
“But there’s a lot of money flowing through the city. I think there’s always a way to make a deal. I think one of my roles is trying to figure out how close the city can get with whoever wins to try to see how we can mitigate as much noise as as possible around the sale.
“Do I want it [relocation] to happen? No. Do I think it will happen? No. But I still think you need to make it as appealing as possible [to stay in Boston].”
As it stands, the Celtics aren’t going anywhere.
All the more reason to see the famous green and white in their element at TD Garden while you still can.
talkSPORT was treated to a VIP tour of TD Garden by Meet Boston ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where a total of seven matches will be played at the New England Patriots’ Gillette Stadium.
For further information on ‘Sportstown USA’ click on www.meetboston.com
To create your own Boston sports tour contact MVP Travel at mvptravel.co.uk/Boston. MVP Travel has nearly ten years’ experience creating bespoke itineraries for the true American sport experience!
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