Jacksonville is not a NFL city

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CGI_Ram

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Look, I hate to see any city lose their team. But Jacksonville is so minor league.

If there is any team ripe to move to London or LA it's Jacksonville.

<a class="postlink" href="http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9404750/shad-khan-says-jacksonville-jaguars-focused-london" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/94047 ... sed-london</a>

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Owner Shad Khan and the Jaguars are only focused on the one game a year the NFL wants them to play in London the next four years.

However, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell recently said the league could ask the Jaguars to play two games a year in London. Khan said Wednesday in first public comments since Goodell suggested possible multiple London games that he is "going to cross that bridge when we get to it."

Last August, Khan and the NFL announced that the Jaguars would play one home game a year in London for four consecutive years starting in 2013.

Khan was on hand for the Jaguars announcement that the team and the city of Jacksonville would combine on a $63 million project to put new massive video scoreboards in each end zone for the 2014 season. Each would scoreboard will be 55 feet high and 301 feet wide, making them the largest of their kind in the world, according to the Jaguars.

The scoreboard in Cowboys Stadium is 71 feet high and 159 feet wide, and is currently the largest of its kind.

In addition, a new platform area in the north end zone with pools, unique food and beverage offerings and interactive activities will result in the removal of 7,000 seats which were previously covered by tarps. Temporary seating can be installed for major events that require a larger stadium capacity, such as the Florida-Georgia football game.

Khan was asked after the scoreboard announcement if he was disappointed to hear Goodell's statement about the Jaguars possibly playing two games a year in London.

"What we're focused on right now as a team is four games in London for the next four years," Khan said. "That's very important to us. I think everyone needs to understand playing games in London is very, very important for Jacksonville, it's very important to this franchise. We need fans, we need more corporate sponsors. Jacksonville is excellent in fan support, great facilities that we're going to have. We don't have enough corporate sponsors.

"London is the missing piece but right now, our focus is the next four years with one game."

When pressed on the issue of Goodell making his statement, Khan praised the NFL commissioner.

"Roger is absolutely a great commissioner. I think he's doing a fabulous job and I would do anything and everything to support him," Khan added.

But Khan wouldn't provide an answer as to whether he would turn down a Goodell request to play a second game in London.

"Whether it makes sense, there are a number of constituencies," Khan said. "We want to do the right thing for everybody."

The Jaguars are footing the majority of the bill for the new scoreboards.

They will fund 75 percent of the estimated $26.5 million -- just under $20 million -- for the new video scoreboards with the city of Jacksonville funding the remaining 25 percent. The city also will fund the total estimated $36.4 million to build the north end zone fan engagement area as well as the necessary infrastructure and control room to support the video scoreboards.

"This is about vision," Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown said about the city's investment of nearly $43 million. "Enhancing our stadium is a positive step toward the strategic goal of downtown revitalization as well, and it's an opportunity to play to our strengths as a destination for sports and entertainment."

The new improvements will help make Jacksonville a prime candidate to host a national championship in college football, said Rick Catlett, president CEO of the Gator Bowl Association.

"This is a game-changer for Jacksonville," Catlett said. "I am confident that this will bring the national championship game in college football to Jacksonville sooner than we expected."
 

Ramhusker

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Jacksonville and Khan may just make the Jaguars work. It will definitely be a better stadium experience. I always thought attendance at Jaguars games was pathetic but I failed to realize that stadium seats more than most NFL stadiums, 5th I believe, so it gives the appearance of poor attendance. If they could get competitive again like the Rams as of late, people will come back. As it is, the Jaguars have better attendance numbers than the other Florida teams, the Bucs and Fins.
 

CGI_Ram

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But... 3 teams in Florida?

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Selassie I

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Well, as a native Floridian, I would like to go ahead and give the entire city of Jax to the State of Georgia. It's my least favorite city in FL. I still can't believe the the NFL actually put a team there. Other than the World's Largest Cocktail Party (Seminole vs gator Game,,, Go Noles), that place is the pits.

So Georgia,,, with the power vested in me... Jax is all yours.

Fuck the jags and their effeminate colors too btw. :twisted:
 

albefree69

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As I've argued before, Florida has a huge percentage of Hispanics living there. Baseball and Soccer are more important to them than football. Not to mention Basketball. It's the same problem they have in LA IMO. Too much competition for everyone's sport dollars. Those kind of fans are frequently fair weather fans. They go to games when they have a good team.
 

Selassie I

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albefree69 said:
As I've argued before, Florida has a huge percentage of Hispanics living there. Baseball and Soccer are more important to them than football. Not to mention Basketball. It's the same problem they have in LA IMO. Too much competition for everyone's sport dollars. Those kind of fans are frequently fair weather fans. They go to games when they have a good team.



I can tell you this for sure Al, the State of Florida is beyond football crazy. This state is like the mecca of football. The HS programs here produce more D-1 football players than any other I believe. Trust me, football is #1 by a gigantic margin here.
 

albefree69

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Selassie I disagreed:
I can tell you this for sure Al, the State of Florida is beyond football crazy. This state is like the mecca of football. The HS programs here produce more D-1 football players than any other I believe. Trust me, football is #1 by a gigantic margin here.

What do you attribute it too?
 

LesBaker

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Albe it isn't the Hispanic population. It's the fact that a gigantic percentage of the population isn't from here. Selassies family may have populated the state with natives for all we know hahaha. Nobody is "from Florida", everyone moved here.

You'd be amazed at how many bumper stickers I see for pretty much every team in the NFL down here. Especially teams along the coast and east of the Rockies. When you walk into a sports bar on a Sunday during the season you will see so many team jerseys and hats you wouldn't believe it.

Jacksonville is probably a little different than SWFL but it's a market that is about 1.4 million and that's going to struggle to support a franchise when the economy is very effed up and the beach is free.

They would have been smarter to put a team in San Antonio.
 

Lesson

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I think Jacksonville will be able to make it work out. I think Khan wants to keep the team in Jacksonville and the city doesn't want to lose the team. When you have two sides wanting to do the same goal, eventually you'll get there.
 

Selassie I

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albefree69 said:
Selassie I disagreed:
I can tell you this for sure Al, the State of Florida is beyond football crazy. This state is like the mecca of football. The HS programs here produce more D-1 football players than any other I believe. Trust me, football is #1 by a gigantic margin here.

What do you attribute it too?


Weather is big part of it. Football training happens year round here, and it has been that way since I can remember.

Seminoles , Hurricanes , gators... all have insane followings. INSANE being the key word. There are up and coming college programs in football too... UCF Knights, and South FL Bulls.

Football starts on Thursday and Friday nights (HS) ,,, Saturdays have SEC and ACC,,, and then it crescendos into NFL Sundays with 3 FL teams... not to mention all the transplants that Les already mentioned.


The economy sucks major ass down here right now. Many peeps are having to struggle through some lean times. I wouldn't call them fair-weather,,, but I would call them many other things when I'm in the mood.


Just to set the record straight Les,,, I've only added 3 more "natives" to the mix. My wife is a FL Native too btw, and so are my parents. We do exist. :tooth:
 

LesBaker

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Selassie I said:
Just to set the record straight Les,,, I've only added 3 more "natives" to the mix. My wife is a FL Native too btw, and so are my parents. We do exist. :tooth:

I know natives are not a myth lol. But man you guys are rare. Especially on this coast!

I have great memories of a native, or cracker as she admitted with pride I met about a year after I moved here. We had nothing on common, she had a pick up truck and even had a NASCAR keychain. Well, I shouldn't say we had nothing in common as we did share one particular fondness hahaha. It was a fun 4 months.

I need to give her a call.....maybe I can break the drought lol.

When are you back in my neck of the woods.

BTW.....I am going to make every effort to get through the Keys early fall. I can't wait to drive it and see it for myself. I'm kinda embarrassed I haven't gone yet but life has been hilariously cruel on occasion the last few years.
 

iced

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CGI_Ram said:
But... 3 teams in Florida?

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there's 3 in New York which is 1/8th of the size of Florida...
 

iced

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Selassie I said:
albefree69 said:
Selassie I disagreed:
I can tell you this for sure Al, the State of Florida is beyond football crazy. This state is like the mecca of football. The HS programs here produce more D-1 football players than any other I believe. Trust me, football is #1 by a gigantic margin here.

What do you attribute it too?


Weather is big part of it. Football training happens year round here, and it has been that way since I can remember.

Seminoles , Hurricanes , gators... all have insane followings. INSANE being the key word. There are up and coming college programs in football too... UCF Knights, and South FL Bulls.

Football starts on Thursday and Friday nights (HS) ,,, Saturdays have SEC and ACC,,, and then it crescendos into NFL Sundays with 3 FL teams... not to mention all the transplants that Les already mentioned.


The economy sucks major ass down here right now. Many peeps are having to struggle through some lean times. I wouldn't call them fair-weather,,, but I would call them many other things when I'm in the mood.


Just to set the record straight Les,,, I've only added 3 more "natives" to the mix. My wife is a FL Native too btw, and so are my parents. We do exist. :tooth:

Agree, football is huge here..

Whats your definition of native? lol I only ask cause I will forever consider St.Louis my home even though we moved away when I was 1 or 2 - I spent most of the next 18-19 years growing up in Florida
 

LesBaker

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iced said:
Selassie I said:
albefree69 said:
Selassie I disagreed:
I can tell you this for sure Al, the State of Florida is beyond football crazy. This state is like the mecca of football. The HS programs here produce more D-1 football players than any other I believe. Trust me, football is #1 by a gigantic margin here.

What do you attribute it too?


Weather is big part of it. Football training happens year round here, and it has been that way since I can remember.

Seminoles , Hurricanes , gators... all have insane followings. INSANE being the key word. There are up and coming college programs in football too... UCF Knights, and South FL Bulls.

Football starts on Thursday and Friday nights (HS) ,,, Saturdays have SEC and ACC,,, and then it crescendos into NFL Sundays with 3 FL teams... not to mention all the transplants that Les already mentioned.


The economy sucks major ass down here right now. Many peeps are having to struggle through some lean times. I wouldn't call them fair-weather,,, but I would call them many other things when I'm in the mood.


Just to set the record straight Les,,, I've only added 3 more "natives" to the mix. My wife is a FL Native too btw, and so are my parents. We do exist. :tooth:

Agree, football is huge here..

Whats your definition of native? lol I only ask cause I will forever consider St.Louis my home even though we moved away when I was 1 or 2 - I spent most of the next 18-19 years growing up in Florida

What part of FL?

There are several of us from FL on this board. I think we should get special privileges and stuff. And we should keep an eye on people that aren't from here. :what:
 

iced

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LesBaker said:
What part of FL?

There are several of us from FL on this board. I think we should get special privileges and stuff. And we should keep an eye on people that aren't from here. :what:

Sorry-sota, errr Sarasota...you ?
 

LesBaker

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iced said:
LesBaker said:
iced said:
CGI_Ram said:
But... 3 teams in Florida?

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there's 3 in New York which is 1/8th of the size of Florida...

Huh?

Jets, Giants, Bills..

I was thinking about the size. Both states have about the same amount of people, just under 20 million.

Did ya seriously think I couldn't come up with the three teams from New York.......