Startin’ Somethin’: Robert Kraft, Purchasing the Patriots and The Jacksons?

One of pop music’s most famous families played an unwitting, yet pivotal role in Robert Kraft’s purchase of the Patriots.

When searching for the origins of the New England Patriots dynasty, it would be acceptable to “Blame it on the Boogie.”

The story of longtime fan turned team owner and CEO, Robert Kraft, is one which is revered within the annals of the region’s folklore. Since his official purchase of the team on Jan. 21, 1994 (of which Pats fans celebrated the anniversary this weekend) the Patriots organization has enjoyed an unprecedented level of success. However, the history of the Patriots is one that involves as much defeat as it does victory.

Ironically, it took a bit of unintentional help from one of music’s most famous families to allow Kraft’s dream to become a reality.

Which family you may ask? 

Well, it's as simple as “ABC” or “1-2-3.”

As a Patriots fan since the team’s inception, Kraft had also been a season ticket holder since owner Billy Sullivan moved the franchise to Foxboro’s Schaefer Stadium in 1971. Formed in 1960, Sullivan made the then-Boston Patriots the eighth and final franchise of the American Football League (AFL). Having made only one playoff appearance in 1963, the Pats did not fare much better after the NFL-AFL merger in 1970. They managed only four cumulative playoff appearances in their first 25 years of existence. Despite some fleeting moments of success, defeat remained their ultimate fate.

The time had arrived for Robert Kraft to step in … or should we say, ‘moonwalk’ in.

As both a successful and savvy businessman, Kraft had purchased a 10-year option on Foxboro Raceway, a horse-racing track adjacent to the stadium. Knowing the Sullivans owned the stadium but not the surrounding land, his purchase became the catalyst for Kraft to purchase not only the stadium, but also the team and the Patriots.

Conversely, Sullivan's family was in need of financial relief, reeling from a series of bad investments — one of their most high-profile fiscal misfires being The Jacksons 1984 Victory Tour, for which they had to pledge Sullivan Stadium as collateral. Those problems ultimately forced Sullivan to sell controlling interest in the team in 1988, while the stadium lapsed into bankruptcy.

Kraft outbid several competitors to buy the stadium out of bankruptcy court for $22 million later that same year. The purchase also included the stadium's lease to the Patriots, which ran through 2001. Though he also placed a bid on controlling interest in the franchise, Kraft lost the bidding to entrepreneur Victor Kiam.

Kiam, in conjunction with Sullivan, almost immediately explored a potential move of the team to Jacksonville, Florida. However, refused to let the team owners break the lease. Kiam, who also was wrought with financial difficulty, from previously unsuccessful investments, was unable to sustain a prolonged legal battle. As a result, he and Sullivan sold the Patriots to businessman James Orthwein in 1992.

Orthwein, a native of St. Louis, Missouri, had designs on re-locating the Patriots after the 1993 season. In fact, exploratory measures were already in motion to re-name the team the St. Louis Stallions.

As with the Kiam-Sullivan accord, Kraft’s control of the stadium’s lease was Orthwein’s primary roadblock. Despite the then-owner’s offer of $75 million to buy out the remainder of the team's lease at Foxboro Stadium. Kraft turned it down. Unable to relocate, and uninterested in operating the team in New England, Orthwein ultimately decided to sell his relatively newly-purchased franchise.

Kraft’s determination and business acumen smartly positioned him to finally acquire his most-coveted commodity. Orthwein was weary of engaging in serious talks with prospective buyers, as would have had to absorb all relocation expenses. Orthwein would have also been responsible for paying the costs of an inevitable legal battle, as Kraft let it be known that he would go to court to enforce the terms of the lease. As a result, Kraft offered $172 million for an outright purchase, which Orthwein accepted.

It was the highest price ever paid for an NFL team at the time.

Kraft said that his passion for the Patriots led him to "break every one of my financial rules" in his pursuit of the team. Surprisingly, future St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke had actually offered a greater purchase price of $200 million. However, Kraft’s control of the stadium’s lease proved to be his key resource in securing the purchase.

Since taking ownership of the Patriots in 1994, the team’s owner and CEO has overseen the most successful run of any NFL franchise during that time span. Under Kraft's tenure, the Pats have made the playoffs 21 times in his 27 years as owner. They have won 19 AFC East titles, including a stretch of 11 straight from 2009 to 2019. The team has represented the AFC in the Super Bowl in 1996 (lost), 2001 (won), 2003 (won), 2004 (won), 2007 (lost), 2011 (lost), 2014 (won), 2016 (won), 2017 (lost) and 2018 (won).

After having never won more than 11 games in a season prior to Kraft's arrival, the Patriots have won at least 12 games 14 times, including finishing the 2007 regular season undefeated. For much of Kraft’s prolific run in the Patriots’ owners box, the team was under the direction of head coach Bill Belichick and led on the field by quarterback Tom Brady. However, his leadership, financial management and steady hand at the helm has made Kraft one of the most respected owners in the NFL, as well as all professional sports.

In addition to the team’s on-field success, Kraft was instrumental in keeping the Patriots in Foxboro, Despite an intriguing offer from the state of Connecticut to finance a new stadium in Hartford, he ultimately opted to independently finance a $350-million venue for the team, which would become Gillette Stadium. In 2007, Kraft began to develop the land around Gillette Stadium, creating a $375-million open-air shopping and entertainment center called Patriot Place. The development included "The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon," a multi-story museum and hall of fame attached to the stadium. As of August 2022, Forbes has valued the Patriots franchise at $6.4 billion.

Through it all, Kraft remains steadfast in his pursuit of excellence as ever. The 81-year-old is a fixture both on the field and in the locker room, taking an active interest in his players. Both he and Belichick routinely meet to discuss the team’s progress, as well as offseason strategy. In fact, Kraft was reportedly quite candid in his assessment of the team’s 8-9 finish in 2022. Having missed the playoffs for the second time in three years, both he and Belichick agreed that offseason changes were needed to bring rapid improvement.

Still, Kraft is cognizant of the windfall which befell him in 1994 To this day, a Victory Tour poster remains in his office as a reminder of the impetus for his nearly thirty-year journey as Patriots owner.

The ride has been nothing short of a “Thriller.”

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Follow Mike D’Abate on Twitter @mdabateNFL and Listen/Subscribe to his daily podcast: Locked On Patriots

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