Michael Jackson’s New England Patriots and Robert Kraft Connection Comes to Light Amid Biopic Trailer Release

Robert Kraft is perhaps the best owner any NFL team could have asked for. The businessman and former New England Patriots season ticket holder bought a struggling franchise and turned it into one of the most successful in league history. He did this through decisive, strategic leadership that has made him one of the most widely recognized figures in sports.

But did you know that Michael Jackson once played an indirect role in helping Kraft buy the Pats? That’s right, as reported by Kyle Brandt on Good Morning Football, Jackson and his brothers indirectly pushed the team to be put on sale, ultimately leading Kraft to step in and buy the franchise after many legal battles.

How did this happen, you ask? It all started in the 1980s when Billy Sullivan owned the Pats. His son, Chuck, heard that the Jackson 5 were doing a reunion tour centered around Michael’s fame. The family got in touch with the group to play at Sullivan Stadium, New England’s home field at the time.

Later on, the Sullivans were even offered the chance to help produce and finance The Jackson 5 tour in exchange for equity. The family accepted, but they had to put up their stadium as collateral for a $12.5 million loan. At the time, they were one of the least wealthy ownership groups in the NFL.

The highly-anticipated tour started strong. However, fans quickly lost interest after reports of fights between the brothers surfaced. Michael also reportedly refused to rehearse with his siblings, leading to subpar performances. It got so bad that a show in Toronto had 50,000 tickets go unsold.

The Sullivan family lost around $30 million from the tour. But it didn’t affect the team’s performance. In 1985, the Pats went to the Super Bowl and enjoyed strong ticket sales. The issue was simply that the family wasn’t making enough money from the product on the field. By 1987, the Sullivans were reportedly $77.7 million in debt.

Eventually, the Sullivan family filed for bankruptcy and put the Pats up for sale. This led to Kraft stepping in and securing full ownership of the team in 1994. And the rest is history. Ever since then, the team has gone to 11 Super Bowls and won six. 

This Michael Jackson-New England Patriots connection emerged moments after the late singer’s biopic trailer dropped. The film, titled Michael, hits theaters on April 26 and chronicles the singer’s life from childhood to stardom. It’ll be interesting to see if it mentions the 1984 reunion tour that ultimately led to the sale of the Patriots.

Today, Kraft still keeps a poster of the Jackson 5 reunion tour in his office. It’s a symbolic reminder of the wild set of circumstances that led to him buying the team. Thanks to that moment, he’s now regarded as one of the best owners in NFL history.