When John W. Henry bought the Boston Globe in 2013, people wondered why a billionaire hedge fund guy—already owning the Red Sox and Liverpool FC—needed a newspaper. Honestly, the real story wasn't just about the ink and paper. It was about who was going to run the show. Enter Linda Pizzuti Henry. She isn't just "John W Henry wife" in some decorative, trophy sense. Far from it. She’s the CEO of Boston Globe Media Partners and a partner in Fenway Sports Group (FSG). If you've ever seen her on the pitch at Anfield or in the stands at Fenway, you're looking at one of the most influential executives in sports and media today.
She’s 29 years younger than John. People talked. Of course they did. But if you actually look at her resume before she even met him, the "gold digger" narrative falls apart pretty fast. She was a real estate developer with an MIT degree long before she was a billionaire's spouse.
Who is Linda Pizzuti Henry?
Born in Lynnfield, Massachusetts, Linda Karen Pizzuti grew up in a tight-knit Italian family. Her dad, Donato Pizzuti, was an immigrant who built a real estate empire from nothing. That’s where she got the bug. She didn't just drift through school; she crushed it. We're talking a Bachelor’s from Babson and a Master’s in Real Estate Development from MIT. Later, she even added a Master’s in Public Administration from Harvard’s Kennedy School.
The couple met in 2008 at Alibi, a bar in Boston’s Liberty Hotel. It’s kinda funny—the hotel used to be a jail. John was there with Tom Werner (the Red Sox chairman), basically just hanging out after his second divorce. When he saw Linda, he was floored. But Linda? She wasn't an easy sell. She actually ignored his first few emails.
"On paper, it didn't look great. He was twice my age, and divorced," she told Boston Magazine years ago.
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John eventually won her over by being persistent and, well, incredibly smart. They married in 2009 on his 164-foot yacht, The Idyllwild. Since then, they've had two kids and built a massive professional partnership that goes way beyond a typical marriage.
More Than Just a Title: Her Role at the Globe and FSG
In 2020, Linda was named CEO of Boston Globe Media. This wasn't a vanity appointment. She had been the Managing Director for years, steering the paper through the brutal transition from print to digital. Under her watch, the Globe became one of the few regional papers in America to actually figure out a sustainable digital subscription model.
But it’s her influence in the sports world that gets the most "main character" energy. As a partner in Fenway Sports Group, she has a literal seat at the table for:
- The Boston Red Sox: She’s deeply involved in the Red Sox Foundation.
- Liverpool FC: Fans in the UK have a complicated relationship with the Henrys, but Linda is often the one engaging with the community and the Liverpool Football Club Foundation.
- Pittsburgh Penguins: She’s a partner here too, since FSG bought the team in 2021.
- Women’s Sports: She’s been a massive advocate for the WNBA and is an investor in the LOVB (League One Volleyball).
She isn't just sitting in the owner’s box eating lobster rolls. She’s looking at the data. She’s a four-time Emmy-winning producer for her work on various media projects. She’s a co-founder of HUBweek. Basically, she’s a workaholic who happens to be married to a guy who owns the teams she loves.
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The Previous Wives of John W. Henry
To understand the dynamic, you kinda have to look at where John came from. He’s been married three times.
First, there was Mai K. Henry. They were together in the early 80s, back when John was first developing his "trend-following" mechanical trading systems. Legend has it they spent a summer in Norway, and that’s where he really honed the algorithms that made him his first few hundred million.
Then came Peggy Sue Henry. They were married for about 15 years, from 1993 to 2008. Peggy Sue was by his side when he bought the Red Sox in 2002. They have a daughter together. Their divorce was finalized just about a year before he tied the knot with Linda.
People like to compare. It’s human nature. But Linda represents a shift in John’s life toward a more "public-facing" and civically engaged era.
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Why the Public is Obsessed With Them
It’s the age gap. It’s the money. It’s the sports. When Liverpool fans are mad about the lack of transfer spending, they often flood Linda’s Instagram comments. It’s weird, honestly. She’ll post a photo of a sunset or her kids, and the top comment will be "SIGN A CENTER BACK LINDA."
She handles it with a surprising amount of grace. She doesn't usually clap back, but she doesn't hide either. She’s active on social media, showing the "behind the scenes" of life at Fenway or Anfield. That visibility makes her a target, but it also makes her human to a lot of fans who appreciate seeing someone actually care about the clubs.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception? That she’s just an "influencer" wife.
Linda is a board member for the Shorenstein Center at Harvard and The Engine at MIT. She’s a founder of the Boston Public Market. She’s obsessed with local food and sustainability. When you look at her involvement in things like "Fenway Farms"—the rooftop garden at the stadium—you see her fingerprints. She’s trying to modernize these old-school, "boys club" institutions.
And she’s doing it while raising two children in the bright, sometimes harsh, spotlight of Boston sports media.
How to Follow the Impact of Linda Pizzuti Henry
If you’re interested in the business of sports or the future of digital media, Linda is someone you actually need to watch. Here is how to keep tabs on her influence:
- Monitor Globe Media Initiatives: Watch how The Boston Globe and STAT News (their health/science site) expand. Linda has been the driving force behind their aggressive digital growth.
- Follow FSG Acquisitions: As Fenway Sports Group looks to add an NBA team (likely in Las Vegas), Linda’s role as a partner means she will be a key player in how that team is integrated into their portfolio.
- Watch Women’s Sports Investment: She is leading the charge for FSG’s entry into women’s professional leagues. If a WNBA team comes to Boston, it will likely be because she made it happen.
- Check the Foundations: If you want to see where the Henry money is actually going, look at the John W. Henry Family Foundation or the Red Sox Foundation. Linda chairs these, and the focus has shifted heavily toward education and local equity under her leadership.