With rumors of Washington Commanders ownership circling, Jay-Z drops by Robert Kraft’s booth at Bills vs Patriots
Could Jay-Z be getting advice from Robert Kraft about NFL ownership? During Amazon Prime's 'Thursday Night Football' match telecast, Jay-Z was shown sitting in the owner's box at Gillette Stadium.
Jay-Z is said to be interested in NFL ownership for some time and the possible sale of the Washington Commanders has made those rumors even more pertinent.
And, if one is interested in purchasing an NFL team, who else better to get advice from than the longtime Patriots owner?
Jay-Z is in Robert Kraft’s booth.
So speculation about royalty attending tonight’s game turned out to be true. https://t.co/e4ElNheyuV
Spending time with the Patriots owner during an NFL game could be another way that Jay-Z is getting more information and advice about becoming an owner himself.
The rapper and business mogul was then seen speaking with players after the matchup between the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills. Two of those players being Bills' star quarterback Josh Allen and wide receiver Gabe Davis, whom Jay-Z spoke to in the tunnel, according to TMZ Sports.
Shortly after the Commanders appeared to be going up for sale, the pop star was seen meeting Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, who is also interested in purchasing an NFL team.
The two could be teaming up as an ownership group that could put a bid in for the Commanders. Jay-Z and Bezos have also been rumored to be interested in having other potential owners join their group.
How long has Robert Kraft owned the New England Patriots?
Robert Kraft was a longtime fan of the New England Patriots and even became a season ticket holder in 1971. In 1994, he purchased the Patriots from James Orthwein for $172 million, the highest price tag ever for an NFL team.
Kraft, a longtime investor and businessman, still believes that he paid too much for the team.
When he purchased the Patriots, they were in serious financial trouble. This was, in fact, not the first time that Robert Kraft had tried to purchase the organization.
In the late 1980s, he had placed a bid but lost out to Victor Kiam, who would eventually have financial issues and be forced to sell the Patriots in 1992 to Orthwein.
January 20, 2019: #Patriots win 32nd postseason game since Robert Kraft bought the team, the third-most playoff wins all-time among ownership groups
January 21, 2019: The 25th anniversary of Robert Kraft buying the #Patriots https://t.co/zDBIVCZvxT
Part of the financial issues revolved around the Patriots' lease and the amount of construction work that needed to be done to upgrade the stadium's overall amenities. In 2002, Kraft invested in a $350 million project that built the next stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts, which is now known as Gillette Stadium.
Since his purchase of the New England Patriots, the team has won six Lombardi trophies.