Foxborough Officials Discuss Looming NFL Lockout, Impact to the Town

The town of Foxborough, many would say, is fortunate to be the only Massachusetts community with a National Football League team. Financially speaking, Foxborough is at an advantage compared to many other communities because of the extra revenue generated from stadium events.

With the future of football next season still up in air, Foxborough's Board of Selectmen engaged in discussion on what the impact of no football and or a shortened season would mean for the town with Finance Director, Randy Scollins at Tuesday night's meeting.

If no football or a shortened season should occur, Foxborough would see little or no impact in terms of 'financial distress' for FY12. 

Scollins discussed in detail with Selectmen the reasons behind why Foxborough would operate "per usual" come a quiet fall - the key reason in being that Foxborough is traditionally a fiscally conservative town.

Whether there are 10 games, 5 games or no games, Foxborough is guaranteed a  minimum annual share in stadium ticket revenue. Each year, the town applies only that guaranteed minimum to the operating budget.

"[An off-season of football] would not impact FY12 because we only budget what we are guaranteed," said Scollins. "It protects the town in scenarios such as this."

Additional stadium revenue (over the minimum) is also applied to the capital budget, which is used for purchasing equipment for the town and small scale construction projects. 

"Typically what the town has done is put the bulk of free cash in the operating budget and whats left, newly generated, to capital," said Scollins.

Foxborough maintains a conscious effort to generate excess revenue and free cash reserves.

If a shortened season or worse were to occur, Foxborough would likely feel the true impact in 2014.

"We would not generate extra payments [if football was not played this season] [and in looking to] FY13 – that is the year the State certifies excess reserves," explained Scollians. "So there really is a two year lag of when the town generates free cash and when we spend it."

"The fact is that if we cancel games that is money that is not going to come in," noted Selectmen Chairman Lawrence Harrington. "If that season gets cut, that will have an impact on how we do contracts."

Harrington, like many, hopes that the season will play on as the more games that are played equals more money going into free cash for the town.

"When you get use to spending that extra money – you get use to spending that extra money," echoed Harrington.

Selectmen Mark Sullivan is concerned over what the possibility of no football would mean for the private and public sectors.

"What this will do to private business is becoming a concern," he said. "It is a sad thought that this would occur – peoples mortgages depend on this. Lets get this contract signed and done."

"Lets hope we don’t have to envision Foxborough without football," concluded School Committee Chairman Bruce Gardner.