The private suites at Boston’s Gillette Stadium boast well-stocked bars, leather seats and, of course, a commanding view of the field. The rental costs for these luxury perches start at $26,000—but Eric Girouard was lucky to be in one for free.
Girouard is the founder of Brunt, a workwear label he started in 2020. As a fast-growing, New England-based brand, Brunt had popped up on the Patriots’ back-office radar. The recent skybox invite was part of the team’s efforts to sign Brunt as a corporate sponsor—or, as he termed it, “to get us to give them money.”
But despite Brunt’s reported 2024 revenue of $146 million, a cautious Girouard wasn’t really looking for a traditional sponsorship deal.