Patriots to Donate to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston for Each New "Like" on Facebook

Everyone wants to be liked, including the Patriots on Facebook. Now, the team is announcing that “liking” them will help support a worthwhile cause.

For every new “like” on the Patriots’ Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/NewEnglandPatriots) from now until kickoff of the AFC Championship game on Sunday, January 22, the Patriots organization will donate 10 cents to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston for a contribution of up to $100,000.

“It started as a discussion about how to reach a larger portion of our fan base and increase fan engagement heading into an exciting time in the playoffs,” said Fred Kirsch, publisher and vice president of content in a press release. “But it evolved into an effort to do more than that. This is a unique way to give back to our community while also making fans aware of the great content available on our Facebook page.”

“If we were lucky enough to generate one million additional likes, that would translate into $100,000 for the Boys & Girls Clubs. It’s an easy way to make a difference,” added Kirsch.

The Patriots, which in 1995 became the first professional sports franchise to launch an official website, were among the first NFL teams to adopt social media as a method of communicating with fans. The Patriots’ Facebook page currently has 2,835,820 likes and the @Patriots Twitter handle has nearly 270,000 followers.

A single Facebook status update following the Patriots’ Divisional Playoff victory over the Denver Broncos last weekend received more than 140,000 likes and nearly 11,000 comments.

The Patriots face off against the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship game at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, January 22.