Celtics Should Fund Free Youth Basketball Programming in Boston's Underserved Neighborhoods as a Condition of Any Future Public Subsidy or Arena Negotiation
The Celtics are worth $6.1 billion. They play in a city where youth basketball programs have been cut from dozens of community centers over the past decade due to funding shortfalls. If new ownership is considering a publicly subsidized arena site in the Seaport or elsewhere, a binding commitment to community youth programming isn't charity — it's the price of doing business in a city that built this franchise's fan base.
Submitted by Chase Garbarino
Background
Boston Public Schools eliminated or reduced funding for extracurricular athletic programming at multiple schools in recent budget cycles. Meanwhile, the Celtics' new ownership has signaled willingness to explore a new arena, which would likely require city and state cooperation on permitting, zoning, and infrastructure. Community benefit agreements are standard in professional sports stadium negotiations — the Revolution's Mystic River deal included $48M to Boston and $91.7M to Everett. The Celtics have made no comparable community commitment.
The Ask
Commit publicly to funding 10,000 free youth basketball program hours annually across Boston, Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan — regardless of whether any arena deal proceeds — before engaging in any public discussion of a new venue that requires city or state approval.