Kraft Group, Patriots Sue Foxborough Over Nearly $1 Million in Gillette License Fees
The complaint argues Massachusetts law caps entertainment license fees at $100 and that the town cannot attach security payroll costs to the stadium's annual permit.
Kraft Sports and Entertainment and the New England Patriots have filed suit against the town of Foxborough over nearly $1 million in security-related fees tied to the annual entertainment license renewal for Gillette Stadium. According to the complaint, the town invoiced the plaintiffs roughly $953,640 as the additional yearly charge to renew the license, up from administrative charges that had previously run as high as $500,000. The filing contends that Massachusetts law caps entertainment license fees at $100 and that the town cannot legally fold public safety payroll into the cost of a stadium permit.
What fees is the Kraft Group disputing?
The dispute centers on charges attached to Gillette Stadium's annual entertainment license renewal. Per the complaint, Foxborough billed the plaintiffs approximately $953,640 as the added annual cost to renew the license. The filing notes that the town had previously charged up to $500,000 in administrative fees. Among the costs the plaintiffs object to are a police lieutenant's salary for a special operations division and 75 percent of the compensation for a drone mitigation employee. The Kraft Group argues those are security expenses that cannot be imposed as conditions of a license.
What is the legal basis of the complaint?
The plaintiffs argue that Massachusetts law caps entertainment license fees at $100, far below the figure Foxborough invoiced. They contend the town cannot legally attach its own public safety payroll to the stadium's licensing conditions. The complaint states that no town has ever interpreted the relevant portion of Massachusetts state law to allow a municipality to make a license responsible for part of the town's public safety payroll. The filing frames the charges as an improper use of the licensing process rather than a permitted fee.
How does this connect to the World Cup and the town's response?
Gillette Stadium is set to host seven matches during the 2026 World Cup, and in March 2026 Kraft agreed to help fund security costs for those games. The complaint filed this week, however, made no mention of the World Cup. On the town's side, a stadium spokesperson said Foxborough and Gillette have worked cooperatively for more than two decades. The spokesperson added that the parties recently renewed the stadium's annual event license on significantly different terms and that lease amendment negotiations are ongoing. The statement signaled continued talks even as the legal dispute proceeds.
Sources
- ESPN: Kraft, Pats file complaint against Foxborough over license fees
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