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Why Rob Gronkowski Is A Lock For The Super Bowl—But Not Necessarily With The Patriots

This article is more than 4 years old.

Rob Gronkowski has appeared in three consecutive Super Bowls, and even though he hasn’t played a single snap in the NFL this season, he just made an announcement guaranteeing he’ll be on hand for the big game in Miami.

No, the 30-year-old tight end hasn’t committed to re-upping with the New England Patriots; rather, he’s back in the news for the launch of Gronk Beach, an all-day festival set to take place in South Beach on February 1, the day before Super Bowl Sunday. In addition to a bevy of food and drink, the extravaganza will feature performances by acts including DJs Diplo and Kaskade as well as hip-hop stars Rick Ross and Flo Rida.

“I may not be playing in games this year, but I wanted to do something; I wanted to be part of the Super Bowl weekend,” Gronkowski explains. “Why not come and be a part of it where I can bring joy, where I can bring fun and wildness?”

The idea for Gronk Beach erupted in 2018 during a wild South Florida night that culminated with Shaquille O’Neal giving Gronkowski a piggy-back ride onstage at a nightclub. Earlier this year, Gronkowski linked up with Joe Silberzweig and Adam Richman, whose company Medium Rare produces Shaq’s Fun House, a roving festival that appeared at last year’s Super Bowl in Atlanta.

The duo applied a similar formula to arranging the behind-the-scenes aspects of Gronk Beach, working on securing sponsors and talent. Regular tickets start at $149.99 and come with an open bar pass; VIP tickets, which grant private lounge access, are three times as pricey. Gronkowski will get his cut through an upfront guarantee plus a slice of the back end.

“This is really Rob’s party,” says Silberzweig. “It’s not some event he’s hosting. And we really worked with him to identify what's important to him and bringing his DNA into the event.”

Gronk Beach is one of many ways the longtime Patriot is monetizing his fame off the field. Thanks to a 2017 appearance on Shark Tank, Gronkowski’s brother Chris secured a $150,000 investment from guest shark Alex Rodriguez in exchange for 15% of his Ice Shaker startup. Rodriguez subsequently sold a portion of his stake to Rob Gronkowski; now the two athletes are working on a fitness app together.

Gronkowski has previously claimed he lives off his endorsement deals with brands from Tide to Dunkin’—and hasn’t spent a penny of the $50 million-plus he earned from the Patriots. That’s part of the reason he’s had the flexibility to invest in Ice Shaker and other outfits such as hemp-based pain-relief cream purveyor CBDMedic.

Although Gronkowski has already made plans for Super Bowl weekend, he didn’t completely rule out a return to the NFL (he must notify the league by November 30 if he plans to come back this season). And although it wouldn’t be as tricky as Deion Sanders’ football-baseball maneuver, Gronkowski made sure Gronk Beach wouldn’t close the door on his potential involvement in the big game the next day—or vice versa. “I am experienced,” he notes. “You have off 12 to 8 every [Super Bowl] Saturday. This party’s going down.”

If Gronkowski declines to return to the gridiron, he still expects NFL pals to join him in South Beach, whether they’re playing or not. “I can tell you this: It’s a boring day, the day before, you don’t know what to do,” he says. “If the Patriots are playing at the Super Bowl this year, I expect Tom to be at my party.”

For more on the business of entertainment, check out my Jay-Z biography Empire State of Mind and follow me on Twitter.

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