The relationship between Menino and the Patriots is complex.
As a Mass-based team operating outside the city of Boston, the Patriots have never had the heart of the Mayor the way the Red Sox, Bruins, and Celtics have.
The Patriots made no friends with Hizzoner when they pursued the South Boston site without starting with Menino. South Boston residents didn't want a big stadium in their backyard, and Menino did nothing to encourage it. Shaughnessy claims Menino "never forgave" the Krafts for leading this without his very-active partnership. Developers in Boston famously let Menino select among several architectural mock-ups of buildings, allowing him to pick the final design. Ultimately a downtown Boston stadium failed due to lack of political support, and fans continue to drive to Foxboro to enjoy a game. If you wanted to build anything in Boston during his tenure, you started with the Mayor.
By contrast, while the new owners of Fenway objectively preferred a new stadium, Menino made clear he wanted the team to stay in the old confines, and they embraced his desire. He became a huge supporter of the Sox.
