Fans in Jacksonville will not be able to see any Jaguars home games without buying a ticket this season, as the team has already said it doesn't expect any sellouts, which means all home games will be blacked out on local television.
The Jacksonville Times-Union reports that the team has already announced all 10 games -- two preseason and eight regular season -- will be blacked out. Although the Jaguars have always had trouble selling tickets, this season will be the first in team history without any local TV presence for home games.
Obviously, the economy is playing a huge part in this: Fans have less disposable income, and that means they're less likely to plunk down the cash for Jaguars home games. But the Jaguars have never had much drawing power in Jacksonville, and the fact that the Jaguars have already capitulated and aren't even holding out hope that a big start to the season could energize the local fan base doesn't speak well for the long-term viability of the franchise in Jacksonville.
As for the players, they don't seem too concerned. quarterback David Garrard told the Times-Union:
"It doesn't matter. It's still game night. If it's game night and there's another team out there ready to play, then that's all the excitement we need. We love our fans, and we love to have them out there, so I know whoever is out there is going to be excited and will be cheering as loud as they can."That's the right attitude for the players to have. For the franchise as a whole, however, it's a very troubling sign that the team is saying in August that it knows for sure it won't be able to sell out any games in December.
What do you think? Can the Jaguars sell out any games? Should they move out of Jacksonville? Tell me on Twitter @MichaelDavSmith.
Comments (Page 1 of 7)
Too bad they don't host the steelers this year. At least that one would have sold out!
Totally agree....anywhere the Steelers go the game is sold out. Steelers Fans are the best just like the team. GO STEELERS GO....!!!!!
I am in the Orlando area and not a Jaguars fan but have been to a number of Jaguars games in past seasons. What I have seen in Jacsonville when I have gone to games is that it always seems that at the Jaguars games there are always more fans for the visiting team at the game then there are for the Jags. I am a Bills fan for example and when I go to see the Bills play in Jax, it always seems that even though the seats are all painted Jaguars teal, there is more Bills red and blue then there is Jags teal in the stands. When the Bills score, the Bills make me want to shout song breaks out in the stands louder then what is happening over the PA system. I am sure it is the same when other teams visit Jacksonville as well. So, part of the issue is visiting team fans arent spending the travel dollars now but local fan support of the home team I think has always been part of the concern in Jacksonville as well.
darthva101 you are wrong. I have been a faithful season ticket holder for a number of years. I have NEVER seen more colors for an opposing team. This article fails to mention our market size vs. our stadium size as well. I for one am not a fan who stops going to games because they are not doing as well as in the past. Only true fans stick it out! Go Jags!
black em all out i don't care - NO TV PLAY = NO SPONSERS - until the NFL quits hiring thugs - pop their overpaid wallets!
No sell outs in Jacksonville. Mean while Los Angles awaits an NFL team?
L.A. had a football team, actually more than one team, and since LA fans suck you lost them
LA cant support a team any better.
Hell move 'em to San Antonio and I bet you'd sell out every home game.
The people do NOT want an NFL team here. First, we already have too many gangs here already. Second, we dont want the Pro Sports communist system having an influence on our kids.
I SAY GO FOR IT....LA WOULD BE A SUPER PLACE FOR AN NFL TEAM...AND I LIVE IN FLORIDA....
LA, here come the jaguars!
i agree with what you said, but with perhaps both Jacksonville and (though less likely) Minnesota losing their pro teams, I am hoping that there are some cities in Middle America that can hope to bring a team to their town.
I'm from North Carolina and have said for years that someone should start a team in Oklahoma City and that team would duplicate the initial success of the Charlotte Hornets. Well, finally the Sonics got kicked out of Seattle and there they are. But there are some other cities that don't have pro teams in any of the top four sports leagues that I wish someone would at least consider the viability of: Las Vegas, Omaha, Whichita, Birmingham, or perhaps revisit Virginia's Hampton Rhodes area. I'm tired of seeing the same cities have teams on top of teams and winning all these championships in the process (LA has won enough of them with their Lakers).
I just think it makes good sense that you go and tap some untapped market with no pro teams anywhere nearby (or in the state if you can help it), you've got a good chance at success. Some markets (like Charlotte) are only good for one pro team; I knew the Bobcats were doomed from the start because Carolina is more of a football-oriented state in general and the interest in pro-basketball here will never rival the interest in collegiate basketball. The Hornets did very well when they were the only pro game in two states, but now that we have the Panthers and the Hurricanes are up in Raleigh, people get both their pro fix and their basketball fix (ACC Basketball) without needing a pro basketball franchise.
Soul City,
What are you talking about? Why is it a good thing the Sonics got "kicked out" of Seattle? The Sonics have the only Championship in the history of the city (which I'm sure you didn't know) and have always been well supported by the community. Only when the owner purposefully alienated the team from the city and sabotaged the talent of the team for draft picks so they would be terrible for the last few years of the stadium contract but promising for the future, did the attendance finally suffer. You have no clue what it takes for a city to support a sports franchise. Omaha, Wichita, Birmingham - are you brain dead? These cities don't have the population, facilities, or infrastructure to support a professional team. Wow...
It's an ownership ploy to justify a move to LA. No team or business would announce to the public months in advance that "WE WILL NOT HAVE CUSTOMERS!
Millions of sports fans will now say that the people of Jacksonville don't appreciate or deserve an NLF team.
ok xstoryteller1 I am from Jacksonville and your comment is unnecessary and extremely ignorant about us not deserving a football team. Your a Detroit fan so you have no room to talk about other teams. Your team did not win any games last year. I think people here in Jacksonville are trying to be cautious with buying tickets. Our team has not played that well in the past couple of years and people don't want to pay for tickets to see the team loss. Maybe if they play well the ticket sell will go up. But I think people want to actually save there money and do a little thing called provide for their families.
Next time you right a comment you might want to think before you post i on the internet because you have NO idea what you are talking about. I hope your Detroit Lions do great. Hope they do better and they can prove that they deserve to be in the NFL. Thats All!!!
I live in Michigan where the economy is terrible, and even the 0-16 Lions will never concede that they will not sell tickets. The Lions still do aggresive advertising. Giving up is not!
HOW ABOUT LOWERING THE TICKET PRICES!
here, here, i'd vote for that, but too much greed, both owners and players have to have all those millions$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Yeah, you live in Michigan where the economy is terrible and people out of work make a career collecting unemployment and 95% percent of their salary from sub-pay. Hence they have the time and the money to afford the excessive NFL ticket prices !
if they would have got vick i would have went to game f jags and weaver to smith to