New England Patriots Football Club, commonly referred to as New England Patriots or simply Patriots, is one of the most iconic and successful American football clubs in the world. Founded in 1959 as Boston Patriots, it changed its name to New England Patriots in 1971. The club is based in Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA, and plays its home matches at the famous Gillette Stadium, which has a seating capacity of over 65,000.
New England Patriots has a rich history, boasting 6 Super Bowl titles, 11 Conference championships, and numerous other domestic and international trophies. The club enjoyed its most successful era under legendary coach Bill Belichick, who led the Patriots to 6 Super Bowl titles and nine AFC championships between 2000 and 2020.
Known for its strategic and adaptive style of play, the club has nurtured some of American football’s greatest talents, including Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, Randy Moss, and Julian Edelman. Despite recent challenges and inconsistent performances post-Brady, New England Patriots remains one of the world’s most valuable American football clubs, with a global fan base and a rich tradition that continues to influence American and world football.
New England Patriots is one of the most popular football teams in the NFL, with one of the highest average home attendances in the league. The team states that its worldwide fan base includes more than 200 officially recognised branches of the New England Patriots Fan Club, in at least 24 countries. The team takes advantage of this support through its nationwide summer camps. Accountancy firm and sports industry consultants Deloitte estimate that New England Patriots has 75 million fans worldwide. The team has one of the highest social media followings in the world among sports teams, with over 82 million Facebook followers as of July 2023. A 2014 study showed that New England Patriots had the loudest fans in the NFL.
New England Patriots was formed in 1959 as the Boston Patriots by Billy Sullivan. The team initially played games against other AFL teams, but on 20 November 1960, they competed in their first recorded match; wearing the team colors—red, white, and blue—they defeated the Denver Broncos.
In January 1993, the appointment of Bill Parcells led the team to numerous victories, including two Super Bowl appearances. In 2000, Bill Belichick was appointed as head coach, leading the team to six Super Bowl victories and building one of the most successful franchises in NFL history.
On 17 March 2020, Tom Brady announced that he was to leave the Patriots after 20 seasons, but would continue to play in the NFL for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He left as the most decorated player in NFL history. The team announced on 28 June 2020 that former Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton would replace him, having signed a one-year contract. Despite a challenging season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Patriots continue to be a strong force within the NFL.
Originally financed by industrialist William H. 'Billy' Sullivan Jr., the team was granted an American Football League franchise on November 16, 1959. Sullivan and his group paid an entry fee of $25,000 to join the AFL. The team became the New England Patriots in 1971 and was owned by the Sullivan family until 1988 when the family sold the team to Victor Kiam due to financial struggles related to their investment in The Jackson's Victory Tour. Kiam sold the team to James Orthwein in 1992, a St. Louis businessman who intended to move the Patriots to St. Louis.
However, in 1994, Robert Kraft, who had bought the Patriots' home stadium out of bankruptcy in 1988, purchased the team for $175 million, preventing the move. Kraft was a Patriots season ticket holder since 1971 and was already involved in the team as the owner of the stadium. Kraft's passion for the Patriots and his commitment to keeping the team in New England won him immense popularity among Patriots fans. Under Kraft's ownership, the Patriots have seen the most successful period in their history, with multiple Super Bowl victories and regular playoff appearances.
When Kraft purchased the team, his son Jonathan Kraft was named the team's president. Jonathan has been heavily involved in the team's operations and is seen as his father's successor to take over the Patriots in the future. Despite numerous offers and interest from other investors over the years, the Kraft family has maintained ownership of the Patriots, ensuring the team's stability and continuity.
The New England Patriots is one of the most successful clubs in the NFL in terms of trophies won. The club's first trophy was the AFL East, which they won in 1963. They have since secured a record 19 AFC East titles and won the Super Bowl six times, a feat only matched by the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Dallas Cowboys. Those titles have meant the club has appeared a record 11 times in the Super Bowl; of those 11 appearances, the New England Patriots have won a record 6.
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New England Patriots - History & Facts: An extensive description of the club's history, achievements, notable players, and changes in ownership. https://www.patriots.com/team/history/
New England Patriots - Social Media Statistics: Detailed statistics about the team's social media following, including the number of Facebook followers. https://www.statista.com/statistics/204341/facebook-fans-of-national-football-league-teams/
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