Steve Pagliuca hoped to become the Celtics’ new majority owner and was “saddened” that his bid to purchase the franchise was not accepted, the longtime co-owner said in a statement Thursday.

Pagliuca, who was part of the group that bought the Celtics for $360 million in 2002, said he “worked tirelessly” to put forth a compelling offer for the team after the Grousbeck family announced last summer that it was selling its majority stake. His group ultimately lost out to a consortium led by William Chisholm, who reached an agreement to buy the Celtics for a record $6.1 billion.

“Since the Grousbeck family announced it would sell the Boston Celtics almost 9 months ago,” Pagliuca said, “I have worked tirelessly to put together a strong bid centered around the great majority of existing owners of the team, who understand and appreciate what it means to be a steward of the Boston Celtics, a team steeped in Championship tradition. Additionally, I recruited new partners with deep resources and expertise in technology and international markets to maximize the Celtics’ successes to ensure we can always compete for Championships, luxury taxes be damned.

“We made a fully guaranteed and financed offer at a record price, befitting the best sports fans in the world, and with all the capital coming from individuals who are fully committed to winning on and off the court,” the statement read. “We had no debt or private equity money that would potentially hamstring our ability to compete in the future. We have felt it was the best offer for the Celtics. It is a bid of true fans, deeply connected to Boston’s community, and we’ve been saddened to find out that we have not been selected in the process.”

Wyc Grousbeck will remain in his roles as team CEO and governor through the 2027-28 season before handing those duties off to Chisholm. The Chisholm-led group also includes current Celtics minority owner Robert Hale.

Pagliuca will not be part of the new ownership group — but said he remains interested in buying the team if the announced sale, which is pending approval by the NBA’s Board of Governors, falls through.

“As Red Auerbach said, ‘the Celtics are not just a basketball team, but a way of life,’ and my familiy and I will continue to be lifelong fans and cherish the honor of being part of the organization for so many years,” Pagliuca said. “I will never stop being a Celtic, and if the announced transaction does not end up being finalized, my partners and I are ready to check back into the game and bring it home, to help continue what the Celtics do best — win.”