I think he must be pretty good at the operations side of things - that has run pretty smoothly and ticket sales have been in a pretty good place recently and have been rising over the last few seasons (I guess we'll find out how much of that is the Arena effect!). Just mentioning that, because that kind of stuff buys a lot of good will from ownership.
He even mentioned ticket sales in the press conference. I'm pretty sure that's all Kraft cares about, aside from $1M+ selling of players
So, after he’s spent 20 years and 9 months on the job with the Revolution, the consensus is that Brian Bilello’s a “a super nice guy” who is “pretty good at the operations side of things”. Talk about damning with faint praise. Call me crazy, but that’s a pretty meager curriculum vitae for a graduate of MIT. Bilello’s held onto his job for so long because he doesn’t make waves within the Kraft Sports Group management structure and he dutifully runs interference for his employers. Period. A “super nice guy” who is “pretty good at the operations side of things”? That’s the acceptable performance review for an assistant manager at Stop and Shop. After 20-plus years on the job, New England Revolution supporters deserve far better from their club’s president.
1) The more frequent the posts to this Stadium Porn thread (of threads!) the worse the team is 2) The worse the team is, the more frequent the posts to the Stadium Porn thread Which is it? 1 or 2? I think it is 1 so stop posting!!!!
Please don't shoot the messenger. https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/10/20/business/everett-revolution-soccer-stadium-encore/ Everett is renewing a pitch for Revolution stadium near Encore, hoping to get language to open up the site tucked into a state spending bill that’s expected to emerge in the Massachusetts House in the coming days https://t.co/vxF2Jxe9jb via @jonchesto— Matt Stout (@MattPStout) October 20, 2023
If you read the recap of the Supporters Summit this week, Bilello gives the impression that they're all in on this and see it as the best option for getting this club and the sport locally to the next level. He even talks about how they realize it's going to cost them them some current season ticket members and that ticket prices will go up. But this being Massachusetts I wouldn't bet on it passing. When I hear a reference to 'clean energy' plus you have a far left lib in Healey as governor and tons of far left pols in both the house and Senate....Let's just say I'd be surprised if this happens. Bilello also hinted that the plans will move forward regardless so I'm guessing Plan B will be something on the current property. If Everett fails we won't see a SSS outside Foxboro in any or our lifetimes. To me the way to increase the chances of Everett happening would be for Kraft to announce that he's buying into the new NWSL club and that they'll be playing in the new stadium.
This make complete sense as the revs to be all in and I love to hear it. This opportunity really does seem like something we've never seen before and I think the revs rightly think they cant miss on this
I doubt plan B is build somewhere on the current property. I think it means they'll keep looking. Second, Bob Kraft can't just magically buy into the NWSL club and overturn their existing stadium plans. Unless he wants to be seen as someone who hates Boston schoolchildren and wants to destroy their chance of having a nice field to play on.
The only opposition to this seems to be from one organization that seems mostly interested in the process. Everyone else wants this to happen.
Yes, I agree. This does seem like all the powers to be want this to happen and its truly just a matter of time
Robert Kraft’s chances of buying into the Boston NWSL club - or any other NWSL franchise - are the proverbial “slim and none”, with “slim” having left the building. Said situation has nothing to do with being seen as someone who hates youth athletes in the Boston Public Schools. Given the emotional abuse, verbal abuse, and - most pertinent when discussing Robert Kraft as a potential NWSL owner - sexual misconduct that has occurred within the league, Bob’s potential involvement with said circuit ended on a massage table in Jupiter, Florida back in 2018. The State of Florida legal system may have ruled videotapes of Mr. Kraft being, ahem, pleasured as inadmissible in its courts, but it stands to reason that he’s going to be held to a different standard in the court of public opinion, particularly amongst NWSL players and the all-female core ownership group of Boston Unity Soccer Partners.
On a related note, it was good to see the owners of the Boston NWSL effort present and highlighted at halftime of the Revs game today. Even though they look committed to the White Stadium initiative, a positive relationship with the Revs and opportunities to do some joint projects/working together on things like doubleheaders and internationals at a potential Everett stadium would be in their best interest.
I make the point about Kraft buying into NWSL only because it would help check the right boxes to swing enough political support in his direction to push the stadium over the line. I recall all the trouble Kraft had trying to get the legislature to vote for infrastructure help when he was trying to get Gillette built. He had to announce he was moving the Patriots to Hartford, before Beacon Hill stopped it's posturing about helping rich guys. I can just hear it now...why 'enrich billionaires' when you can put windmills on the Everett waterfront?
Is there any expectation of the Revs rebranding to a "Boston" team and not new england after this potential move? I ask for a couple of reasons that you can decide how legit they are: 1. "Boston" encore is already the brand in the location 2. The usl is making a huge push in general and also in new england. Vermont, portland, sea coast, providence is building a stadium. We arent really new englands team anymore. Has there been any speculation on this in the past or from the media?
I'd bet money that we're staying "New England." Even putting aside all the money they just invested in re-branding the team and emphasizing that the name wasn't changing, we're the biggest team in the region. Being "New England" sets us over and above all the cities and states that fall within the region. Changing to "Boston" would be a demotion that suggests the USL teams are on a par with the Revs. Which they ain't.
My thought exactly! I don't think there's any love lost between the FSG and KSG - I don't see them really getting together on anything significant. It makes a ton of sense to share a stadium, but if they were willing to do that, I think they'd have been co-developing something. I don't think that FSG wants to be in the position that the Celtics are in (i.e., tenants). ** and while this isn't really FSG involved with the Breakers, there's enough 'Henry' money involved, so substitute FSG with Henry. Yes. Building in Foxborough doesn't make any sense really and isn't really financially feasible. The Mass legislature is not 'far-left', in fact they can be quite conservative. And I don't think Healey is going to be for or against based on ideology - it's going to be more pragmatic for both Healey and the legislature - what is better politically? Some will be pleased with a stadium others will be ticked off - whether it gets approved will have mostly to do with how the political calculus works out. Bringing a pro stadium into the Boston area in a nationally growing pro sport can be a significant and enduring political achievement. There are a lot of ways to mollify the opponents. Maybe committing to some net-zero goals and including affordable housing ...?
And, there's a track record with Kraft, stadiums and the state - Kraft got some (relatively little, IMO) state help and built a stadium that benefits the region in multiple ways - and along with it, significant economic development in an area that had very little.
Actually it makes the most sense economically if this deal falls apart. Kraft owns all the land in Foxboro. There just isn't much available land within the 128 belt (and especially in Boston) in which to build something this big when you factor in parking and traffic. Also property values are through the roof plus you won't find more 'accommodating' political leadership than you will in Everett. Otherwise the only way enough land comes available is through an economic collapse where land suddenly becomes a lot cheaper (unlikely). So if Everett falls apart, Foxboro is the only option left. Or nothing and they stay in Gillette for good. If your options are 495 belt and Foxboro, you're staying in Foxboro.
Around 2004 I suggested to Jonathan Kraft that they build a Columbus Crew style stadium (back when that was the state-of-the-art) in Foxboro. He said that it didn't make sense because they already have a stadium in Foxboro, so why have two? Boston (or somewhere in the Inner Belt) is the place they'd build, and they're "working on it." Close to 20 years later, but who's counting? Everett seems to be the last best chance to have our own place.
If building in Foxboro made sense, it would have happened already. If Everett falls through, they'll stay in Gillette until something else comes around.