Per Reiss:
Many of us here remember what it was like before Kraft bought the Pats. It was a time of uncertainty, with a pitiful team without a foundation -- Pats were truly the doormat of the NFL.
In the 5 year stretch from 1989 to 1993, NE went:
Kraft officially purchased the team on Jan. 24th, 1994, and NESN has been running a series of articles called "Krating a Legacy".
It's worth a read, and this passage highlights the resolve Kraft had in keeping the franchise in NE (also how close it came for the Pats to relocate to St. Louis): http://nesn.com/2013/01/robert-krafts-purchase-of-patriots-required-leap-of-faith-but-results-show-thinking-with-heart-sometimes-pays-off/
I think Kraft is surely headed for the HoF, and one of the best owners this city & region has ever known. On this day when Pats again headed for the AFCCG, happy (although a bit early) anniversary indeed.
Robert Kraft purchased the Patriots on Jan. 21, 1994, as we’re nearing the 20th anniversary of one of the most important dates in franchise history. Entering Saturday night, the Patriots are 237-114 since that time (including postseason), the best winning percentage in the NFL at .675. The Packers, at 220-128-1, are next in line (.632). Nice 20-year run.
Many of us here remember what it was like before Kraft bought the Pats. It was a time of uncertainty, with a pitiful team without a foundation -- Pats were truly the doormat of the NFL.
In the 5 year stretch from 1989 to 1993, NE went:
- 5-11
- 1-15
- 6-10
- 2-14
- 5-11
Billy Sullivan didn't make it to Super Bowl XXII in San Diego. Instead, Sullivan, the 72-year-old owner of the New England Patriots, was holed up in his condominium just south of Palm Beach, Fla. His absence was, to say the least, surprising. As founder of one of the AFL's original teams, Sullivan ranks among pro football's patriarchs, and he usually revels in the end-of-the-season socializing that is as much a part of the Super Bowl as the game itself.
But neither the game nor the parties mattered much to Sullivan this year. While the celebrants in San Diego ate, drank and danced their way into a super frenzy, Sullivan was watching all that he had worked for crumble around him. What started as a $25,000 investment in 1959 has mushroomed into nearly $126 million of debt for the Patriots, family-owned Sullivan Stadium and members of the Sullivan family. Moreover, sources close to the family say that Sullivan and his eldest son, Chuck, 45, who's executive vice-president of the Patriots, are teetering on the brink of personal bankruptcy. Chuck denied it last week, and Billy wasn't talking. (Another son, Patrick, 35, who is general manager and treasurer of the Patriots, has no equity in the team or the stadium, but has signed loans with his father and brother.)
Kraft officially purchased the team on Jan. 24th, 1994, and NESN has been running a series of articles called "Krating a Legacy".
It's worth a read, and this passage highlights the resolve Kraft had in keeping the franchise in NE (also how close it came for the Pats to relocate to St. Louis): http://nesn.com/2013/01/robert-krafts-purchase-of-patriots-required-leap-of-faith-but-results-show-thinking-with-heart-sometimes-pays-off/
In 1992, the Patriots changed hands again, with Kiam selling the franchise to James Orthwein, leading to speculation that the St. Louis businessman may opt to relocate. Kraft refused to accept a $75 million buyout of the club's lease at Foxboro Stadium, though, and he instead opted to turn around and offer a then-record $175 million for the outright purchase of the New England franchise.
In today's NFL, such a proposal might not be seen as anything groundbreaking. However, the Patriots, who were still without a Super Bowl title at the time, were one of the league's least valuable franchises. Home games were hardly the sold-out affairs that they've since become on Kraft's watch, and there were questions about the team's long-term future.
Yet, there was Kraft, clearly willing to not only roll the dice on a business transaction, but also willing to roll the dice on his team.
Many Patriots fans had begun to realize that the team likely wouldn't be staying put in New England, which made the 1993 season finale seem like a send-off of sorts. But following a dramatic victory over the Dolphins, Pats fans stuck around, which may have been what ultimately put Kraft, a prospective owner, over the top when it came to trying to reel in the team.
I think Kraft is surely headed for the HoF, and one of the best owners this city & region has ever known. On this day when Pats again headed for the AFCCG, happy (although a bit early) anniversary indeed.