Patriots First NFL Team to Own Planes

[BigKen]

Patriots have become the first NFL team to own their own airliner. Commercial airlines are getting rid of the larger planes in their fleets and charging more for Charter Flights.

Bob Kraft decided to buy two big Boeing 767 Air Buses. It cost him $5,000,000 for each of them. At that price, other teams are expected to do the same before their all scrapped or recycled.

 

[CowboyB]

I'm pretty surprised NFL teams didn't do this a long time ago! What was the normal cost of a 767 before they were about to go to the dumps?

Gotta figure 15-25 thousand per flight at least time times a year when factoring in pre season and it seems like a no brainer. Especially with the buying power could present in order to get teams a deal.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

 

[cdumler7]

I'm pretty surprised NFL teams didn't do this a long time ago! What was the normal cost of a 767 before they were about to go to the dumps?

Gotta figure 15-25 thousand per flight at least time times a year when factoring in pre season and it seems like a no brainer. Especially with the buying power could present in order to get teams a deal.

Honestly it is a bit of a tough choice. Have to think you hire your own pilots which cost decent money. The maintenance for the plays probably runs a couple million a year plus rental of the space in the airport for the planes. So cost of owning it compared to renting one for 10 weeks of the year could about equal out.

 

[NEPatsfan]

Honestly it is a bit of a tough choice. Have to think you hire your own pilots which cost decent money. The maintenance for the plays probably runs a couple million a year plus rental of the space in the airport for the planes. So cost of owning it compared to renting one for 10 weeks of the year could about equal out.

Apparently not, since money is the reason they bought it and ditched chartering.

 

[cdumler7]

Apparently not, since money is the reason they bought it and ditched chartering.

Well without a ton of details all depends on 1) how much did they spend upfront and 2) any time you buy compare to rent is the upkeep costs that fall on the individual. If the plane is a lemon then it could be a terrible investment. If they got a good one that doesn't require a ton of upkeep costs then yeah they could actually come out on top compared to other teams.

 

[NEPatsfan]

Well without a ton of details all depends on 1) how much did they spend upfront and 2) any time you buy compare to rent is the upkeep costs that fall on the individual. If the plane is a lemon then it could be a terrible investment. If they got a good one that doesn't require a ton of upkeep costs then yeah they could actually come out on top compared to other teams.

You actually think team Kraft is that incompetent?

 

[cdumler7]

You actually think team Kraft is that incompetent?

Do you think everything Kraft has ever put money into works out great in his favor? I mean there are a bunch of other billionaires in the NFL not doing what he is doing...So are they terrible businessmen? I'm saying maybe he is starting a trend that other owners will start. Others though could be waiting to see how this all works out and if the cost is worth it because it could be a lot of upfront cost just like buying a house compared to renting.

 

[NEPatsfan]

Rovell estimated a cost of around $10 million for both planes. Charter costs, meanwhile, are expected to balloon to approximately $4 million for the 10 round trips—including preseason games—required per season. That doesn't account for any playoff or Super Bowl traveling.

 

[NEPatsfan]

Do you think everything Kraft has ever put money into works out great in his favor? I mean there are a bunch of other billionaires in the NFL not doing what he is doing...So are they terrible businessmen? I'm saying maybe he is starting a trend that other owners will start. Others though could be waiting to see how this all works out and if the cost is worth it because it could be a lot of upfront cost just like buying a house compared to renting.

Others will be doing it shortly. He's just the first. The industry isn't interested in chartering NFL teams and are getting out of the business. He is just staying ahead of the curve.

And it's all due to current and anticipated economics.

 

[cdumler7]

Others will be doing it shortly. He's just the first. The industry isn't interested in chartering NFL teams and are getting out of the business. He is just staying ahead of the curve.

And it's all due to current and anticipated economics.

We shall see I guess.

 

[NEPatsfan]

American said last year that it would no longer fly the Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Pittsburgh Steelersand Miami Dolphins. At least two of those teams, the Steelers and the Dolphins, took their business to charter-only airline Miami Air, sources said.

And why is that/

Because,

The bigger planes -- which can carry a full team, its support staff and the onerous amount of equipment the team needs on the road -- are being retired because they are nearing a point in their life cycle where they have to be stripped, fully gutted and reworked in order to satisfy Federal Aviation Administration requirements. Airlines like Delta and American have chosen to begin retiring the planes instead of going through what would be a cost-prohibitive reboot.

They are getting rid of the planes because it doesn't make economic sense for them. When the airline owns them they fly thousands of take off and landings per year. When the team owns it they will only make a handful of TO and Ls per year.

It's just capitalism.

 

[black francis]

probably so the players can carry their guns and weed on the plane

 

[black francis]

and so the horseface can blow all the players when Thommy is a asleep

 

[soxfan1468927]

and so the horseface can blow all the players when Thommy is a asleep

Who is the horseface?

 

[black francis]

Who is the horseface?

 

[NEPatsfan]

Wood

 

[rjshull]

I was surprised with this, I figured most teams had a private plane. I know the Illitch family and have had one for decades with the Tigers and Red Wings.

 

[mrschaney]

Don't worry Bengals fan, our plane is coming!

 

[Oldschool739]

Well without a ton of details all depends on 1) how much did they spend upfront and 2) any time you buy compare to rent is the upkeep costs that fall on the individual. If the plane is a lemon then it could be a terrible investment. If they got a good one that doesn't require a ton of upkeep costs then yeah they could actually come out on top compared to other teams.

Well you have to consider that now they have the opportunity to cheat from the sky....
Probably equipped with onboard cameras, radar and agent orange for emergency wins....