I'm worried about Jax losing the Jaguars.

[mwfsu84]

But I read an article in the TU a few days ago that the team is losing money. This is the first time I've heard of this. I've also heard rumors that if the National Football League abandons its current revenue sharing plan in favor of one more favorable to major revenue-producers like the Cowboys and Redskins...small market teams like the Jaguars might be searching for larger markets.

There's also the season ticket issue. The team has reduced the seating capacity by almost 10,000 and still, with a month left to go, they're still several thousand short of the goal. I just don't get it. I'm told Jacksonville will only support a winner...well, the team did have a winning record last year, and will probably make the playoffs this year, if Fred Taylor stays healthy.

I'm a season ticket holder, but I live in Atlanta, so I don't know what's going on down there with the community. As a Northeast Fl native, I lived in the area when the city dilligently pursued a team. Have they become jaded in just ten years?

Maybe I need to get a life - I probably do. But it would break my heart to see the Jaguars leave Jacksonville. You don't have to love football to appreciate the vitality they put in the city, the sense of community bonding. Oh yeah, and they've also given the city prime national exposure. Think of all the gorgeous nighttime skyline shots on Monday Night Football. Anyone who loves this area gets tingles when they see those shots.

I don't know what we as fans can do about the first two issues I mentioned. But we can and we should sell out the stadium. Please....please, those of you who are considering buying season tickets, or if you have friends who are thinking about buying tickets, now more than ever, your team...your community needs you. And guess what? The Jags are a great entertainment value.

[bobliocatt]

I don't see the team leaving town anytime soon. Revenue and attendance wise, Jax is better than over half the teams in the league. At this point, I would be more worried about the New Orleans or Indy bailing out of their cities.

[Viper]

Your fears are based on a sports writers fears. Until you hear actual word of a problem, don't fret. From my knowledge, the team is not losing money and never has. In fact, it has been consistantly one of the more profitable teams.

[Captain Obvious]

Your fears are really unfounded. Not only does Jacksonville have a stadium larger than the NFL average (yes, even with the 9,000 covered seats Altell is still one of the larger stadiums. Uncovered it's 4th largest) there are only 5,000 tickets per game to sell to avoid blackouts. Based on past history, that will be a piece of cake.

The Jags do amazingly well considering the size of the market.

[Urban_Legend]

I'm glad that his fears are unfounded. I too would hate to see the Jags leave, even though I'm not much of a sports fanatic. Though we might not realize it, the Jaguars did wonders for this city, and really gave it an identity (and consequently, a Super Bowl). I would hate to see all the hometown spirit dissolve just as quickly as it came into being.

Go Jags!

[mwfsu84]

Well, since I assume all of you folks live in the area, you've got a better grip on the actual situation than this out-of-towner does.

My understanding - and I got this information from the Jaguars themselves, is that the Jaguars are slightly ahead of where they were last year regarding season ticket totals. They've sold roughly 52-53,000 season tickets (including club seats). Without club seats, the total is about 45,000, and I think they need to increase that particular total by 5,000 to avoid the blackout.

[scongro]

Those numbers are correct, according to Vic Ketchman of Jaguars.com (who writes my scriptures). Generally, the NFL frowns on teams leaving a market (with the exception of Los Angeles). The front runner in that move looks like Oakland (Again, I know)

[NoFxfan]

Well, it looks as if Paytons ineptitude concerning getting anything done has shown through again;

apparently, it seems stadium negotioations between the city and the team have broken down, to the point where Weaver has had to write a letter to the mayor to get things moving along.

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stor..._19295629.shtml

I know alot of people will be extremely angry if Payton runs the jags off.

[Viper]

The letter isn't a threat to move the team at all.

[Captain Obvious]

The letter is merely a necessary action on the part of the Jaguars. It's just good business, and not an indication of future intentions.

Their contract would apparently force them to give the city over $80 million for mvoing the team now. Because of their financial situation, the contract now allows them to move for only $32 million.

This doesn't mean they are moving, or even thinking about moving. But, by notifying the city, it will save the Jags about $50 million if by some freak occurence they do move in the future.

[RiversideGator]

I am kind of worried about the Jags too. For some reason, I was under the impression that the NFL had revenue sharing from their billion $ TV deal and this is what kept small market teams from losing money. Is this still true?

As for the Jags, I support them and had season tickets before I went to law school, but I was sort of turned off by the carnival like atmosphere at the games. For example, instead of focusing on football, they have bad music blaring over the loudspeakers between plays (a distraction, unlike a college band which peps you up). And, I dont exactly want to swill beer on a Sunday especially considering that I have to be at work the next day. But, I guess this is the way it is in the NFL. Still, I am thinking about getting season tickets again and I would urge everyone else to also. This is one way we can put our money where our mouth is.

[scongro]

I am a Season Ticket holder, and it is a little bit of a concern, however if you look at the teams that have moved over the past 20 or so years, (Colts, Raiders, Browns/Ravens, Rams, Raiders Again, Oilers/Titans), all of the teams had stadium issues (they all played in dumps). This is far from the case in Jacksonville.

[RiversideGator]

Having completely balled up the courthouse deal, now Peyton is going for his crowning achievement: running off the Jaguars.

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stor..._19365886.shtml

Peyton said he feels that Weaver has "no intention'' of leaving Jacksonville and his spokesman, Susie Wiles, said it was a "crazy hypothetical'' to suggest he would. She said the city has had no indication publicly or privately from Weaver that a move "is in the cards.''

But Bob Leffler, the head of the Leffler Agency, American's largest sports advertising agency, said the city is pursuing a risky strategy. He worked for the Colts when they moved to Indianapolis in 1984 and was involved in the Browns' move to Baltimore in 1995. He also put together campaigns to keep the Bengals in Cincinnati and the Buccaneers in Tampa.

"It's Groundhog Day in Jacksonville,'' he said. "This was very shortsighted. This kind of attitude is how Robert Moses ran the Dodgers out of Brooklyn (in 1957). This has been going on since the 1950s. Doesn't anybody check out what's happened in other cities?''

[JaxNole]

Having completely balled up the courthouse deal, now Peyton is going for his crowning achievement:  running off the Jaguars.

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stor..._19365886.shtml

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yay! I'm looking forward to seeing progress made since the 1990s reversed by this administration. Is there any way the roads can be "unpaved"? Can ALLTEL be transformed back to the rickety structrue that was the Gator Bowl? While we're at it, let's turn the St. James building into the shell it used to be and bring back the smell of paper mills.

[afh]

I can't find the article right now, but in one of this week's edition of the TU, Vito Stellino had a excellent sit-down conversation with Wayne Weaver. Vito asked some interesting questions that Weaver would not answer. That article was a good read. The way Weaver avoided answering questions leads one to believe that Weaver has his head stuck in the sand. This article brought up a couple of points that were mentioned in previous articles by Vito.

Mainly, none of the other Florida pro football teams have fans on waiting lists, there are other enjoyable activities to do a sunny Sunday afternoon, the population continues to grow but the Jags can't attract the fans, the people who move to the city have loyalties to other teams, the fact that after taxes the team may have made money, that the team sold out when it was good and now that the team is not that hot, a sellout is hard to get. Vito brought up all those things for Weaver to answer and he said that he had no comment. Vito even said that he has spoken with consultants about how filling stadiums in Florida for pro sports can be a hard thing to do b/c of what the attributes that the state offers. Weaver still had no answer. He wants to put the blame where it doesn't belong.

Let's not put all the blame on the City and the fans. The City is doing what it feels is necessary given it's current financial situation. If I were a taxpayer I wouldn't want the city to go overboard giving the Jags all kinds of financial gifts. There are bigger issues that the City must handle and making sure the Jaguars are financially solvent isn't one of them. That is Weaver's job and he has to find the magic again that brought in the fans the late 90s. I think people realize this.

[RiversideGator]

AFH: I do think the Jags will be better this year (improved from last year's 9-7 record) and this will certainly help ticket sales. I think the City should find a way to compromise though. If you look at the recent history of the NFL (St Louis Cardinals to Phoenix, Baltimore to Indy, Cleveland to Baltimore, Oakland to LA to Oakland) it shows that teams do leave towns. This is the issue. Do what it takes to keep them here. I think Wayne Weaver is a good, reasonable guy and wants to stay here. We just need to give a little. After all, Weaver brought us the Super Bowl, so we know he cares about the city.

[derrickskugler]

It has become very clear that the city government just doesn't get it. The latest news is that "talks are at an impasse". Why is the city playing hardball with one of the best things to happen to Jacksonville in the last 50 years!?! It makes no sense. The city is acting like they are the ones in control... but they have virtually none.

If the city of Jacksonville wants the Jags to waltz out of town, they are doing everything right now short of putting on their shoes for them and holding the door open for them.

As a native and former resident of Jacksonville, it pains me to see this. As elected officials, they should realize how important the Jags have been to the city of Jacksonville, both locally and nationally, both economically, and for the self-esteem of the citizens of this city. The city needs to be smarter than this or we will lose our team.

New Orleans has been the front-runner to relocate for several years now... Minnesota, Oakland and San Diego have also been top candidates. What the city government is doing right now is nothing short of "snatching defeat from the jaws of victory". It's just sad.

"Of course, that's just my opinion... I could be wrong."

[afh]

AFH:  I do think the Jags will be better this year (improved from last year's 9-7 record) and this will certainly help ticket sales.  I think the City should find a way to compromise though.  If you look at the recent history of the NFL (St Louis Cardinals to Phoenix, Baltimore to Indy, Cleveland to Baltimore, Oakland to LA to Oakland) it shows that teams do leave towns.  This is the issue.  Do what it takes to keep them here.  I think Wayne Weaver is a good, reasonable guy and wants to stay here.  We just need to give a little.  After all, Weaver brought us the Super Bowl, so we know he cares about the city.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm not saying Weaver doesn't care. He has his agenda and there is nothing wrong with that. My point is that the City cannot give away the bank just to make this thing work. They've offered him support, however it isn't what he wants. That is the key. I have no problem with the approach that the City is taking. It's an approach that allows the City to see if the Jags can rite the ship instead of just funding the Jags into forever.

If the City was falling all over itself to throw money at the team, people would be out in the streets getting ready to burn City Hall down.

[Viper]

One issue tha thasn't been brought up but truly needs to when talking about filling up a football stadium is tradition. Currently, we have none. Most other teams have fans that grew up watching the team, we don't have that luxury yet. Weaver is having to directly sell tickets based on his product. Other cities can almost rely soley on traditions.

Attendence:

2003 - 53,509 - Rank - 31 - Record - 5/11

2004 - 69,433 - Rank - 14 - Record - 9/7

Success drives sales and that right there is proof. Not just that but for the 2nd smallest NFL market to rank 14th in attendence should speak highly about our area. Now imagine it once tradition comes into play a few more years from now.

[scongro]

Do you ever notice that it is never the Mayor's office negotiating, but some consultant or committee talking for them.

[RiversideGator]

Peyton is not capable of strong, independent thought.

[Russell B]

A mayor's job is 80% PR and 20% planning/action.

[JaxNole]

Peyton is not capable of strong, independent thought.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Absolutely. He is adept at forming committees, task forces and focus groups. Could somebody tell me what a typical day for Mayor Peyton is like?

[mwfsu84]

This isn't about giving Weaver the store, afh. It's about the city honoring the terms of their contract, signed with the Jaguars.

The contract states that the Jaguars have a right to all the advertising revenue generated from the stadium signage for all events in the stadium. This makes sense, since much of the new signage, which went up for the Super Bowl renovations, was paid for by Weaver.

No, I think the city is dead wrong on this.

[afh]

This isn't about giving Weaver the store, afh.  It's about the city honoring the terms of their contract, signed with the Jaguars.

The contract states that the Jaguars have a right to all the advertising revenue generated from the stadium signage for all events in the stadium.  This makes sense, since much of the new signage, which went up for the Super Bowl renovations, was paid for by Weaver.

No, I think the city is dead wrong on this.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, I've read some items that said that the contract wasn't written as clearly as that. The point of the matter is that things change. The city has gotten the ACC Football Championship Game and the ACC wants the stadium free of advertising. The City wants this game to stay in Jax for the next 50yrs and it's going to do what it takes to make that happen. The City has made a good offer to the Jags. In that offer the City is essentially giving the Jags some of the money that they would have made from the signs. But even Weaver and Prescott have said this isn't about the signage issue. Weaver wants to be able to come back to the City when he feels like it to ask for money. No city should sign on to that type of deal. Weaver lost money 2 out of the 10 yrs that the team has been in Jax and even the 2yrs is debatable b/c of the whole pre-tax issue. Yet he wants the City to add revenue to his coffers. That is going overboard if you ask me.