Why are sports stars leaving Massachusetts? Bill Belichick blames new “millionaire tax”

Boston sports fans have long enjoyed their fair share of sports championships, ranking second in the total number of championships of all major sports leagues, but the sunny days may be over as the state's Democrats are stirring up a storm of unrest with their extremely high taxes. In 2022, Massachusetts voters narrowly approved a new top tax rate of 9%, popularly known as the “millionaire tax” because it applies to all income over $1 million.

But taxpayers are beginning to take notice of the much higher tax burden. According to a survey of accountants, more than 20% of Massachusetts residents would consider leaving the state at any time. And professional athletes are even more likely to take that step.

Legendary Patriots coach Bill Belichick recently spoke about his frustration with the tax as it makes signing players more difficult. On The Pat McAfee Show, Belichick referred to the state as “Taxachusetts” — a common refrain among Republicans in Massachusetts, who are in the minority, and those who have moved across the border to New Hampshire, which has no state sales tax and is the 8th-largest state in the state.^th State without income tax in January.

“It's just another thing to deal with in negotiations up there. It's not like Tennessee or Florida or Nevada, or some of those teams don't have state income tax,” Belichick said, adding that the heavy tax burden affects not only star players but also the ability to add depth to the roster. “Virtually every player, even the practice squad, well, the minimum player income is pretty close to $1 million, so once you get to that $1 million threshold, you're paying more state taxes in Massachusetts. It's just another thing to deal with in negotiations up there.”

Belichick isn't the only Massachusetts sports icon to express dissatisfaction with the recent income tax hike. Two Patriots defensive players, Davon Godchaux and Keion White, recently discussed the issue on Godchaux's podcast ChauxTalk. Godchaux pointed out that “if you can sign with a team that doesn't have a state tax, then do it, because that means more money that you keep in your pocket.”

The tax increase affects not only football, but other sports as well. Former Boston Celtics player Grant Williams left the team in 2023 and joined the Dallas Mavericks. He told reporters that the new 9% income tax rate was the reason for this move.

Although this excessive tax only recently went into effect, it has already damaged Massachusetts' appeal to athletes. If lawmakers in Boston aren't serious about lowering taxes, it won't be a surprise if athletes and other successful people continue to move out of Massachusetts and the state's sports teams pay the price.