Move over, Patriots: Gillette Stadium's groundskeepers are getting their own sponsorship
The Gillette field crew is responsible for maintenance and upkeep at the Foxborough stadium and other training facilities,
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'We want them to choose what they need to be safe and comfortable,' said Girouard.
Girouard launched Brunt in 2020 with the aim of offering an alternative to legacy workwear brands — one eager to jump on new apparel tech and digital-savvy marketing. When Brunt began talks with the Kraft Group and the Patriots, Girouard said, he wanted to make sure that the company's buy-in meant more than just another name emblazoned below the jumbo-tron.
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'How do we be authentic? How do we tie it back to what we know and what we believe in?' said Girouard. 'Let's focus on the field crew, the people that actually get the field in condition and keep it in condition.'
Girouard declined to share the financial terms of the sponsorship. Brunt, which has just under 100 employees, has raised more than $44 million, according to
Besides giving the field crew a new wardrobe, the sponsorship will also include three tailgate events hosted by Brunt at home games through the end of the year. Girouard also said he plans to spotlight the groundskeepers on Brunt's social media platforms.
'We love that Brunt Workwear is a New England-based company, and from the first meeting with their team, felt that it would be a good fit,' said a Gillette Stadium spokesperson in a statement. 'The field crew had the opportunity to try out several products and was impressed with the quality and comfort of the whole line.'
Though the deal covers only the upcoming season to see how it pans out, Girouard said, he hopes the partnership will continue.
'The goal is, we want to do this for multiple years, if not in perpetuity,' he said.
Dana Gerber can be reached at
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Bain Capital Ventures has backed companies like Whop and ShopMy Investors: Scott Friend, partner; Aaref Hilaly, partner; Merritt Hummer, partner Bain Capital Ventures is the venture division of Bain Capital. The company has been funding startups at various stages of investment for over 20 years, ranging from seed rounds to growth-stage ones. BCV partner Hummer said she looks to invest in companies that are the "critical infrastructure for the creator economy," similar to how Shopify became the backbone of many e-commerce businesses. BCV partner Friend said he looks for creator startups that provide tools for both creators and their business partners, like brands, while partner Hilaly said he's drawn to creator companies that are using AI to help automate tasks and develop new business models for the industry. Fund size: BCV's latest funds total $1.9 billion, with more than $10 billion in assets under management, according to the firm. 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Recent investments: Beehiiv, a newsletter platform Dirt, a newsletter company with five brands across entertainment, books, design, tennis, and news Hype, an app for trading memecoins MUBI, a streaming service, production company, and distributor for curated films Upside Ventures uses social media marketing to help boost its portfolio companies Investors: Jamie Elliott, general partner; Sam Uwins, general partner Upside Ventures is a London-based VC firm that focuses on seed-stage investments in consumer startups. The firm has roots in the creator economy. Uwins, a general partner, works with YouTube creators The Sidemen. He's helped them develop businesses like the vodka product XIX and a fried-chicken restaurant chain called Sides. Upside said its ties to media properties like YouTube help it boost brand visibility for its portfolio companies. Fund size: $25 million, according to the company. Recent investments: Ceartas, a content detection tool for creators that tracks down stolen content, fake profiles, and deepfakes ChatBCC, a group chat platform for creators
