N/S Jaguars eyeing Orlando for games (1 Viewer)

[kfran]

Jaguars eyeing Orlando for games if NFL expands regular season

As another small market team, you've gotta feel for Jaguar fans. Saints fans should be very proud of the message they've sent to the NFL and the world since Katrina.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- Following a model once used in Green Bay and now seen in Buffalo, the Jacksonville Jaguars are considering playing home games elsewhere.

Owner Wayne Weaver said Wednesday that the Jaguars would consider playing in Orlando if the NFL expands its regular season to 17 or 18 games.
"We know that we can't be a viable NFL city if we only sell 46,000 seats in a 66,000-seat stadium," Weaver said.


The Jaguars (1-2) have struggled to sell tickets in recent years and are looking for ways to boost attendance in a difficult economy. About 17,000 season-ticket holders decided not to renew in 2009, and the Jaguars had less than 40,000 for their home opener.


With the NFL closing monitoring the franchise's ticket woes, Weaver is looking for ways to keep the Jaguars in Jacksonville. Orlando could be key.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/football/nfl/09/30/jags.ap/index.html

 

[Broad St. Saint]

I don't feel that sorry for the Jaguars

Sure they were 5-11 last year, but they were 11-5, 8-8 and 12-4 the 3 seasons prior to that.

They should be able to sell more than c. 40,000 for their home opener, or they're not an NFL city.

The Saints generally did better than that despite one playoff appearance (2000) in a 13-season span (1993-2005).

Weaver is right to schedule games in Orlando, or else the UFL Tuskers might actually establish a fan base that limits his ability to grow his own.

 

[SaintGreenie]

This sounds like a terrible idea to me. This is an assumption, but I'm sure there are plenty of Bucs fans in Orlando and I'm not sure they would be supportive of a second franchise so easily.

IMO, this is like the Texans deciding to hold games in BR.

 

[Jeff Miller]

You want to fill the stadium? Cut ticket prices. Drop PSL's (assuming they have them). Cut the price of concessions.

 

[Buickman]

you've gotta feel for Jaguar fans.[/URL]

They have fans?

 

[saintkreaux]

This sounds like a terrible idea to me. This is an assumption, but I'm sure there are plenty of Bucs fans in Orlando and I'm not sure they would be supportive of a second franchise so easily.

IMO, this is like the Texans deciding to hold games in BR.

I find what you said interesting. Thinking about it now, I can't really think of a geographic area that has (a) a decent population and (b) is not represented in some way by an NFL franchise due to location. I'm talking in terms of expansion. Other than the empty L.A. market I can't think of another area that screams out for a franchise. I'm hoping that makes expansion less likely to happen within the next 10-20 years.

 

[NateDaGreatSaint]

They have fans?

No, but that's the problem...

 

[longtime lurker]

The Bucs are less than 90 mins away from Orlando....I don't see this happening.

They'll end up in Los Angeles when it's all said and done and Weaver will be a couple billion dollars richer.

 

[RockyMtnSaint]

The Bucs are less than 90 mins away from Orlando....I don't see this happening.

I could see it. I know plenty of Bucs fans that also pull for the Jags since they're in a different conference. Also, Tampa's not doing too well themselves so maybe Jax is figuring that they can steal some Bucs fans. Also, Jacksonville is only a couple of hours from Orlando.

They'll end up in Los Angeles when it's all said and done and Weaver will be a couple billion dollars richer.

Sadly, this is probably true.

 

[mikaloyd]

If Disney got in on the Orlando bandwagon and helped promote the team, especially to Orlando tourists, I could see it working. First they need to release a Pixar or Touchstone or Miramax football film though. The Gridiron Groundhogs or something. This would be especially effective if they used their ownership of ESPN to put media pressure on Goodell et al to let it happen. Once Disney had a team (the Groundhogs) in Orlando they could move it to Anaheim at their leisure.

 

[RobbieSaints]

Jags or Bucs in Orlando

The distance from Orlando to Jax/Tampa is about the same 90-95 miles. The Bucs training camp is actually just outside of Orlando in Celebration so yes there are more Buc fans then Jags here. Considering the Bucs will have a 1-15 season and the Jags might go 7-9 if they can get thier Defense to do something it might not be a bad idea to do it next year. At least do a preseason game at the new UCF stadium or downtown. Its funny how you see more flags etc for the team having the better season.........