JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Cliff from Callahan, FL
Jaguars fans are lucky Shad Khan is the Jaguars' owner and not me. I'd be like, "I'm sick of you whiners; I (and the team) am out of here ..."
Let's start here: This is a difficult time for the Jaguars and their fans, and the difficulty lies in what for now at least seems an unbridgeable disconnect between many fans' perceptions of what Khan and the Jaguars are doing and the real intention of what Khan and the Jaguars are doing. Khan and the Jaguars are trying to solidify the franchise financially to make it work in Jacksonville for the long term; that's the reason for Lot J, Daily's Place, the Shipyards, etc. Revenues from those projects and the development around TIAA Bank Field are critical to make the Jaguars work financially in Jacksonville because of the realities of being in one of the NFL's smallest – and financially-strapped – markets. That's not an insult to Jacksonville; it's a simple reality. Whereas many owners would not have bothered to make it work here and while many owners would have moved the team, Khan has spent eight years making it work and is committed to continuing to do so. The disconnect is that many fans and media see his actions as selfish and greedy. That's partly because of the instinct of many to distrust wealthy people – and mostly because it sucks for fans to lose two home games, even if the loss is temporary. Because of all that, many Jaguars fans are lashing out at Khan and the Jaguars. That makes sense. It's a natural reaction to a complex issue. That doesn't make the fans evil, just as Khan's actions – while misunderstood by many – don't make him evil. What's fortunate for fans who want the team in Jacksonville is that Khan and the Jaguars understand that the reaction of fans is an emotional, expected one. The team will continue to believe in the city and its fans – even at a time when the fans don't love all the team's actions.
Brett from Jacksonville
If Yannick wants to hold out for a bigger-than-value contract, I say let him walk and save the money for when it comes time to resign Josh Allen.
When it comes to defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, the Jaguars aren't simply going to "let him walk." They're going to try to reach a long-term contract extension with him, though I expect a likely result for this season will be Ngakoue playing on the franchise tag.
Sprinkle from Jax
Hey O, big fan! I've been reading these Q and As for some time now and I just wanted to say there are plenty of Jags fans that fully support Khan and all of his decisions. The whole reason I'm a diehard Jags fan is because I'm a diehard Jax fan. Jacksonville is incredibly lucky to have an owner who is willing to give so much to the community. I will admit I did not want Doug Marrone to return as head coach but I do support and respect Khan and will stand by his decisions. Also, if London will help us compete and provide support for renovating downtown, then let's make it happen. So hey, one fer Jax! DUUUUUVAL!!!
Hey, one fer Duval! And one fer Khan!
Olly from Oxford, England
Given the embarrassing levels of support the team "enjoys" at Wembley, where pockets of Jag fans are completely drowned out by fans of opposing teams, what are the Jags going to do to try to redress the balance? Block seating for Jaguar fans only would be a start. Honestly, I am gutted for fans in Jacksonville.
The thought here is that much of the "disadvantage" the Jaguars have experienced at times at Wembley is because they often play teams who are playing in England for the first time, which means many of those teams' fans travel there largely for the novelty. This creates the dynamic of more fans cheering for the opposition than for the Jaguars. Perhaps that dynamic will fade over time as the Jaguars' fan base builds there and as the novelty for the opposing teams fades. We'll see.
Aaron from Jacksonville
Jacksonville has tried to renovate the Shipyards/Lot J for almost 50 years. Why should fans expect this time to be any different from the other failed attempts?
Shad Khan.
Josh from Jacksonville
Mark from Archer and lot of other people are correct saying Shad will probably own a piece of whatever happens in Lot J. Granted, real estate is only a hobby of mine, but I would think property beside an NFL stadium is much more valuable than property next to a stadium used for the occasional monster truck rally. Khan is in the unique situation of being the only person that truly knows the plan for the Jags. So why would he make an investment in said property then do something to tank the value of it?
Of course Khan and the Jaguars will profit from Lot J and whatever else they help develop in downtown Jacksonville. The whole idea of Lot J is to develop the area around TIAA Bank Field – and to strengthen the Jaguars financially. Why would he invest in the property then tank the value of it? He wouldn't. Lot J only works if there is an NFL team/stadium adjacent to it – and in a very real sense, the reverse may be true in this case. Khan's goal is to make the Jaguars healthy, stable and powerful in Jacksonville. Too many in the city and the fans base have lost sight of that. That's unfortunate, but it doesn't change the fact that that's what Khan's trying to do.
Jim from Neptune Beach, FL
The two games in London don't upset me at all. If it's what needs to happen, then let it happen. And for those who are finding fault with Mr. Khan's decision, let's go back to the previous owner, Mr. Weaver. I was elated when the NFL gave Mr. Weaver the franchise, as was the whole city. Mr. Weaver was a great owner, but he didn't have the financial resources to continue forward. If he were still the owner, without having the financial resources, or the capability to generate revenue via new development, this team would have already moved. I believe the reason the team is still here is because Mr. Khan has the financial muscle to keep it here. Mr. Weaver would not have been able to do that.
Yes.
Michael from Fruit Cove, FL
So, the local revenue is really important to the team and their No. 1 priority is winning. Why should we as fans care about local revenue? I don't think I've seen any explanation for this. The team is worth over double what it was when Khan bought it. So, he should have no complaints about his investments. Does local revenue help the team win games on the field? No, unless I'm missing something. So, it matters not one bit to me and two lost home games are just a slap in the face. Tell me where I'm wrong ...
Yes, the No. 1 priority is winning as it is for every NFL team. But if the NFL or any business doesn't make sense financially in a community it won't be there. A team's worth going up is great, but unless the owner sells the team there's no economic gain from net worth. For the Jaguars to be in Jacksonville long-term, they must make sense economically on a short-term basis as well as long-term – and that means not being perpetually last in the NFL in local revenue. I imagine this always will be something that makes many fans unhappy, but it's true. And it's true no matter who owns the team.
Nick from Palm Coast, FL
So let's try and look ahead at this year's schedule ... two "home" games in London. Next week is auto buy week. Since you don't want to play three out of four weeks at home since you would then play five of the next six weeks on the road. The jags could be away from Jacksonville for SEVEN WEEKS… WOW. As far as starting season in London … now you don't start the real home season till mid-OCTOBER. Any thoughts????
My thought is there already was a huge swath in the schedule with only one two homes games in TIAA Bank Field. Two home games are not going to make that swath smaller.
Garrett from Edgewater
OK, Zone: A friend and fellow Jag fan wanted to know if playing these games in London changes the salary-cap situation at all? If playing an extra game in London means we can pay players more, then I'm all for it. But I don't really feel like that's the case, or everyone would be playing in London
Playing in London does not change a team's salary-cap dynamic one way or the other.
Cliff from Las Vegas, NV
You know what they say... if being a senior writer was easy... they would pay you less.
It could never be that easy.
