Jaguars Give Up 2 home games next year

[Virgil]

1 hour ago, Captain Hindsight said:

What a blow for the fan of the Jags

both of them?

[LittleSammy]

I'm assuming the Jags will stay in London the week between the two games vs. making the long haul back to Florida for a couple of days. Doesn't this place the visiting team for the second consecutive game at a big disadvantage re: travel distance, jet lag, etc? Of course, I'm sure the NFL doesn't care. It's all about the $$$$.

[H2o]

10 minutes ago, corta765 said:

 

From what I have read from guys like Peter King from NBC the NFL has a huge appetite to see this happen given the market penetration. I do not disagree at all that the logistics are a nightmare, as a player I would refuse to play in London given the tax disadvantage alone, and the laundry list of other reasons are quite long including game times. BUT this is the NFL and they are trying to force a 17 game schedule despite the players universally not wanting it and injury issues like CTE saying that 16 games is a problem as is that needs to be address. I just think it setups a really easy situation for the league and Jags to say "hey the fans stopped coming the way we want whereas London really is buying into this" and then making the move.

 

My greater fear is that regardless of a 17 game schedule which it sounds like the extra game is a neutral site international game, they force every franchise to align with a foreign city and mimic what the jags have been doing. If the money is great enough I could absolutely see that happening.

Yeah, the NFL is all about that dollar as well. They think putting a little more in the pot for the players solves everything, but I doubt it would in this instance. I think the drawbacks to having a team in London for the NFL players would kill the Jags in FA especially. I also think it would have a negative effect on the game as a whole due to the list of reasons I previously discussed as well as others that I haven't even considered. 

 

If that is what they are planning on doing with the 17 game schedule we would probably just play our extra game in Toronto. That would be the most logical move for us. As for the other 31 teams? Who knows? I think the short term outlook on the money aspect of it could be extremely detrimental to the league as a whole down the road. 

[Irv]

You know it really wouldn't be a bad idea to add one game to the schedule and make each team play at a neutral site.  I wonder if they could draw fans to say:  Bills vs Jets in Lincoln Nebraska. 

[Chandler#81]

26 minutes ago, 4_kidd_4 said:

Honest question, why was this franchise considered a good idea in the first place? I don’t really remember much from that time. There had to be a better option elsewhere, no?

As Corta said, Jax was undeniably the Dark Horse for expansion in ‘94. But in an 11th hour sweetening of the pot, Wayne Weaver guaranteed the 1st 5 seasons home games would be sold out, meaning every visiting team would receive half the gate receipts for a packed house -even though they never sold out. It also assured Jacksonville area folks could see all the games on local tv, which was supposed to generate a following. The team made the AFC Championship Game in their 2nd season and STILL couldn’t create a fandom here in Gator Country. It’s never improved and when they suck, the nearly empty stadium was an eyesore for the NFL, even with 10,000 seats tarpped over. Hell, WE outnumbered their fans there in our playoff game!!

 

2 games going to London is the inevitable next step towards relocating the franchise. That the jags will move is a foregone conclusion in League circles, imo. They’re just not sure yet if London will survive in the League.

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

44 minutes ago, 416BillsFan said:

Would not be surprised if they move to 4  London games (2 consecutive games in a row twice a season) in the next few years and they effectively share the team for a bit to acclimate the fans/players to a London team. It's hilarious that this is being done with London & Jacksonville. Hard to think of two less similar big cities.

Brits ❤️ ? > Jacksonville tarps ❤️ ?.

[GunnerBill]

44 minutes ago, 416BillsFan said:

Would not be surprised if they move to 4  London games (2 consecutive games in a row twice a season) in the next few years and they effectively share the team for a bit to acclimate the fans/players to a London team. It's hilarious that this is being done with London & Jacksonville. Hard to think of two less similar big cities.

 

I have long believed that this is actually the most likely medium term scenario. A shared team. And depending on how it goes that could end up being the long term solution. 

[corta765]

5 minutes ago, H2o said:

Yeah, the NFL is all about that dollar as well. They think putting a little more in the pot for the players solves everything, but I doubt it would in this instance. I think the drawbacks to having a team in London for the NFL players would kill the Jags in FA especially. I also think it would have a negative effect on the game as a whole due to the list of reasons I previously discussed as well as others that I haven't even considered. 

 

If that is what they are planning on doing with the 17 game schedule we would probably just play our extra game in Toronto. That would be the most logical move for us. As for the other 31 teams? Who knows? I think the short term outlook on the money aspect of it could be extremely detrimental to the league as a whole down the road. 

 

Agreed. A flight to London from NYC is 5-6 hrs. By comparison you can reach any city in the US from NYC in less then 4 hrs direct. If your a free agent small markets like Buffalo aren't too bad because you are still close to live wherever you want and its a quick flight. Your effectively adding 5-6 hrs before you even hit the US just to get back home. That's going to be a huge determent before you even touch the tax structure, marketing, weird hours, lack of US exposure etc..

 

I think the NFL is playing a dangerous game right now. As is fans have unrest after the botched Charger move which looks worse by the minute and the Rams leaving a market that wanted to host them where now St. Louis could care less about the NFL. Even with that people still flock to games, every team/fanbase has the belief this could be there year, and currently every game matters with the season. The owners true goal is 18 games with a 16 team playoff field. You do that and it will kill everything you have in my eyes outside of your diehard markets like GB BUF PIT CLE and your major markets like NYC DAL CHI and even so I still think they would all hurt.

4 minutes ago, Chandler#81 said:

2 games going to London is the inevitable next step towards relocating the franchise. That the jags will move is a foregone conclusion in League circles, imo. They’re just not sure yet if London will survive in the League.

 

Yep. To me its a forgone conclusion JAX is gone the league is just waiting for the situation in JAX to deteriorate to the point its easy to justify either moving the team completely or getting what they at least want which is 4 games London 4 games Jax.

 

I think if the league had their way Buffalo would be sharing 2 games with Toronto regardless of the disaster it was due to the market size.

[Chandler#81]

3 minutes ago, corta765 said:

Yep. To me its a forgone conclusion JAX is gone the league is just waiting for the situation in JAX to deteriorate to the point its easy to justify either moving the team completely or getting what they at least want which is 4 games London 4 games Jax.

 

I think if the league had their way Buffalo would be sharing 2 games with Toronto regardless of the disaster it was due to the market size.

Thank GOD for Terry & Kim!

[msw2112]

1 hour ago, Mark Vader said:

And you will never get a good answer.

 

What the league should do is play all preseason games at neutral sites. By "neutral" I mean play them in an area that is close to the home team. Why not play them at the local college stadiums? I'm sure this is something that could be manageable.

 

I agree with this.  Preseason is a prefect opportunity to do neutral site games in US cities that don't have NFL franchises.  How about a Bills game in the Carrier Dome in Syracuse?  Someone else mentioned Lincoln, Nebraska.  The Patsies in Montreal?  Cowboys preseason game in Tulsa, why not?  Chiefs preseason game in Wichita, sure!  Although preseason games are a dud, they would be an "event" in those markets and would draw interest on that alone.  It would also ease the financial burden on season ticket holders while marketing the game.

 

While I'm not a fan of expanding the schedule, it appears to be inevitable.  The right answer is a 17th game at a neutral site, so that no team is forced to give up a home game (both the revenue and the home field advantage).

 

As also mentioned, I think the logistics of having a full-time NFL franchise in London or elsewhere outside of North America is a bad idea.  Traveling across that many time zones 8 times per year (or more) would be brutal on the players and staff.  The players would be far from their families, friends and lifestyles.  The team would not be able to attract free agents and would likely have low morale and end up being a bottom feeder.  The 17th game is the way to do this and market the game more globally.

[BuffaloMatt]

I was told by a close friend across the pond that the Brits think Marrone is a Royal Wanker! Some things do travel well.

[Call_Of_Ktulu]

Stick the Jags in San Antonio and give Jones the double bird.

[Seasons1992]

1 hour ago, corta765 said:

Agreed. A flight to London from NYC is 5-6 hrs. By comparison you can reach any city in the US from NYC in less then 4 hrs direct. If your a free agent small markets like Buffalo aren't too bad because you are still close to live wherever you want and its a quick flight. Your effectively adding 5-6 hrs before you even hit the US just to get back home. That's going to be a huge determent before you even touch the tax structure, marketing, weird hours, lack of US exposure etc..

 

Not exactly. Flights to Seattle are 6.5 hours to Seattle from there, SF or LA are 5 hours. But I get your point. The time is "harder" flying overseas with customs, foreign land, etc.

[corta765]

4 minutes ago, Seasons1992 said:

 

Not exactly. Flights to Seattle are 6.5 hours to Seattle from there, SF or LA are 5 hours. But I get your point. The time is "harder" flying overseas with customs, foreign land, etc.

 Ah my bad but yea add another 5-6 hours at least with the UK not including customs and the other stuff. I just don't see any advantage to any player going abroad like that.

Edited February 4, 2020 by corta765

[NoSaint]

3 hours ago, Mark Vader said:

The season ticket holders will get a 50% discount off the preseason games.

 

That should be mandatory for every teams season ticket holders.

you know they would just bump regular season prices to make the prices for the package the same for any well selling team, right?

[Mark Vader]

Just now, NoSaint said:

you know they would just bump regular season prices to make the prices for the package the same for any well selling team, right?

Probably, but paying such an astronomical price for practice games is still an insult.

[Utah John]

Taxes in the UK might be very high, but on the bright side if a player gets hurt he doesn't have to worry about health insurance.  Of course he might need to wait to see a doctor.

 

The arguments Khan is using to justify moving two games a year to London, are eerily like the ones the Bills used to justify playing games in Toronto.  What a disaster that was for the Bills, no longer playing in front of rabid home fans in order to play in a silent tomb where no one really cared who won.  You don't need to read tea leaves to see the Jags franchise is doomed in Jacksonville.  

 

Thank God for the Pegulas.

[RochesterRob]

3 hours ago, corta765 said:

 

From what I have read from guys like Peter King from NBC the NFL has a huge appetite to see this happen given the market penetration. I do not disagree at all that the logistics are a nightmare, as a player I would refuse to play in London given the tax disadvantage alone, and the laundry list of other reasons are quite long including game times. BUT this is the NFL and they are trying to force a 17 game schedule despite the players universally not wanting it and injury issues like CTE saying that 16 games is a problem as is that needs to be address. I just think it setups a really easy situation for the league and Jags to say "hey the fans stopped coming the way we want whereas London really is buying into this" and then making the move.

 

My greater fear is that regardless of a 17 game schedule which it sounds like the extra game is a neutral site international game, they force every franchise to align with a foreign city and mimic what the jags have been doing. If the money is great enough I could absolutely see that happening.

  If the pursuit of money is paramount then I could easily see the US losing 6-8 teams.  It won't be limited to the Bills but Bengals, Browns, Packers, Titans, etc..  If money is king I could see the Jets, Falcons, and a couple of others going.  London, Berlin, Rome, Mexico City, Tokyo, etc.. would be desired cities due to large populations and virgin markets.

[Augie]

3 hours ago, Chandler#81 said:

As Corta said, Jax was undeniably the Dark Horse for expansion in ‘94. But in an 11th hour sweetening of the pot, Wayne Weaver guaranteed the 1st 5 seasons home games would be sold out, meaning every visiting team would receive half the gate receipts for a packed house -even though they never sold out. It also assured Jacksonville area folks could see all the games on local tv, which was supposed to generate a following. The team made the AFC Championship Game in their 2nd season and STILL couldn’t create a fandom here in Gator Country. It’s never improved and when they suck, the nearly empty stadium was an eyesore for the NFL, even with 10,000 seats tarpped over. Hell, WE outnumbered their fans there in our playoff game!!

 

2 games going to London is the inevitable next step towards relocating the franchise. That the jags will move is a foregone conclusion in League circles, imo. They’re just not sure yet if London will survive in the League.

 

I did not realize that.  That’s what a little short-sighted greed will get you!

 

.

38 minutes ago, Utah John said:

Taxes in the UK might be very high, but on the bright side if a player gets hurt he doesn't have to worry about health insurance.  Of course he might need to wait to see a doctor.

 

The arguments Khan is using to justify moving two games a year to London, are eerily like the ones the Bills used to justify   playing games in Toronto.  What a disaster that was for the Bills, no longer playing in front of rabid home fans in order to play in a silent tomb where no one really cared who won.  You don't need to read tea leaves to see the Jags franchise is doomed in Jacksonville.  

 

Thank God for the Pegulas.

 

I’m a little surprised it took so long for “the T word” to come up. 

[Marv's Neighbor]

Are their vacant seat tarps/covers measured in metric, so they fit the European seats?