Jonathan Kraft

Jonathan A. Kraft (born March 4, 1964) is an American businessman. He is President of The Kraft Group, the holding company of the Kraft family's many business interests. He is also the president of the New England Patriots and owner/investor of the New England Revolution.^[1][2]

Early life and education

Kraft was born in Brookline, Massachusetts to a Jewish family, one of four children of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and his late wife Myra Kraft.^[1][2] Robert Kraft is worth an estimated $4.8 billion, according to Forbes and ranks as 108th richest person in 2015.^[3] Kraft attended the Belmont Hill School for high school. In 1986, Kraft graduated from Williams College with a bachelor's degree in history. He currently serves on Williams' board of trustees. After working as a consultant at Bain & Company for two years, Kraft earned his MBA from Harvard Business School in 1990.^[4]

Professional career

New England Patriots

Since his family's purchase of the team in 1994, Kraft has held the titles of Vice President (1994–1999), Vice Chairman (2000–2005) and President (2005–present), and thus has overseen the management of each department in the organization.

Role with the NFL

Within the National Football League, Kraft serves on two owners' committees. In March 2006, when the National Football League Players Association and the NFL were deadlocked in contract negotiations, Kraft designed the revenue sharing plan that was used for that version of the collective bargaining agreement.

New England Revolution

Since their inception in 1995 as one of the inaugural teams of Major League Soccer, Kraft has been the co-owner/investor of the Revolution, along with his father. Foxboro hosted its third MLS Cup in 2002, the first in Gillette Stadium and the first involving the Revolution as one of the teams vying for the MLS title. In front of an MLS-record crowd of 61,136, the Revolution would go on to lose the match, as well as their other four MLS Cup appearances in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2014.

Other soccer involvements

The Krafts' interest in soccer has extended beyond the Revolution. Foxboro Stadium played host to six matches of the 1994 FIFA World Cup, five of the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup, as well as the 2000 Founder's Cup. In November 2005, the Krafts expressed interest in purchasing the Liverpool F.C.,^[5] but the team was eventually acquired by a pair including Tom Hicks, the owner of the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers, in February 2007.^[6]

Kraft also served as the owner/investor of the San Jose Earthquakes from 1999–2000, the two years which the Kraft Group owned the team.

Criticisms by New England Revolution fans

Since 2006, the Krafts have expressed interest in building a soccer-only urban stadium in Boston or a neighboring community. Talks have been held with Somerville, Revere and most recently Boston in 2014. However, as of July 2015 nothing has come of their efforts to the frustration of their legions of long time supporters. The Revolution remain one of only two MLS teams playing in NFL stadiums, the other being Seattle Sounders FC which draw nearly 40,000 fans per match. The lack of a stadium was one reason cited in a 2014 Boston Magazine article that proclaimed the Krafts were "the worst owners in MLS."

Personal life

He has 3 children, two sons and a daughter. In 1995, Kraft married Patricia Lipoma in a Jewish ceremony at the Chestnut Hill home of his parents. She is a convert to Judaism.^[7]

References

External links

• New England Patriots profile
• The Kraft Group