The New England Patriots will have names forever linked to their championship runs of the 2000s: Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, Rob Gronkowski, Ty Law, Julian Edelman, Stephone Gilmore, etc.
However, those names would never be linked to the franchise had it not been for a bold purchase made in 1994 by the CEO of the Kraft Group.
Looking at Robert Kraft and How He Bought the Patriots
Kraft had quite the rise as a young kid who sold newspapers outside Boston Patriot games and as a past season ticket holder.
Before the Patriots, he was a successful businessman, spanning multiple industries. On Jan. 21, 1994, he put down $172 million to buy the franchise.
“My objective in buying the Patriots is to help bring a championship to New England,” were the words of his first press conference as owner.
But how was he able to outbid others in his quest to own the team he grew up near? Turns out it was a decade-long plan Kraft launched to eventually land full ownership duties.
Back in 1985, he managed to purchase the future Bay State Raceway — at the time known as the Foxboro Raceway — which was adjacent to the old Patriots’ home of Schaefer Stadium. This decision made it hard for then-Patriots owner Billy Sullivan to hold non-Patriots events inside the venue as races were going on.
Kraft purchased the land surrounding what Sullivan owned. It eventually became his launching pad to one day owning a future six-time Super Bowl-winning franchise.
On Sullivan’s end, he was already reeling financially from the botched Jackson 5 Victory Tour of 1984, which he helped bankroll. Most, though, remember the tour for eventually leading to the family tensions involving the Jackson family as well as some members becoming ill. That tour also eventually convinced Michael Jackson to focus solely on his solo career.
Sullivan suffered financial losses from that financial disaster of the Victory Tour, eventually forcing him to sell the Patriots.
Kraft’s Journey to the Top
Kraft didn’t start as a successful business owner right away. Surprisingly enough, he had humble beginnings.
Again, he once tried to sell newspapers outside of Patriots and even Boston Braves games. Education-wise, Kraft found his way to the Ivy League route by attending Columbia University, where he was also class president.
After graduation, he dove into his business investments. He helped found International Forest Products, which was a trader of physical paper commodities.
But along came the Kraft Group next. And as Kraft grew wealthier, he made other notable purchases: the New England Revolution soccer franchise, Blizzard Entertainment, and an investment in New England Television Corp.
Kraft is active in philanthropic work as well, including helping to launch the Kraft Foundation, which assists in donating to education, children, and American and Israeli causes.
The Patriots Since Kraft’s Purchase
Sullivan was additionally a part of some of the worst moments in New England’s franchise. Most notable was the 1-15 debacle of 1990 and a pair of 2-14 marks — one in 1992 — which eventually led to the hire of Bill Parcells.
Under Kraft’s leadership, though, the Patriots have been rebranded as a multiple-time champion and one of the sport’s most valuable franchises.
With Kraft overseeing things from his owner’s seat, the Patriots have accomplished the following:
- 10 Super Bowl appearances.
- Six championships and four losses in the big game.
- A total of 22 playoff bids.
- From 2009 to 2019, a streak of winning 11 consecutive AFC East titles.
- An incredible 19 AFC East championships.
- Future Hall of Famers produced in Brady, Law, Curtis Martin, and Richard Seymour. Gronkowski, Vince Wilfork, Tedy Bruschi, and Julian Edelman have also been mentioned among football fans and analysts as potential Hall of Famers.
There’s more, especially from a financial point of view. The Patriots are now worth $7 billion — making them the second-richest NFL team and the wealthiest among AFC teams.
MORE: When Was Tom Brady Drafted?
The billion-dollar figure would’ve never been made possible without a raceway purchase near New England’s old stadium by Kraft himself. It eventually led to a series of surprising accolades for a franchise that had been starving for championships.
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