Yahoo: Best seats at NFL game might be poolside in Jacksonville

[Downtown Osprey]

I'll admit, I can appreciate the efforts put fourth by the Marketing department. However, having some DJ on a giant ass scoreboard screaming "It's going down right now at the Clevelander!" while we are getting our ass kicked isn't the smartest idea IMO.

[funwithteeth]

Don't overlook the subtle racism in conflating NBA players (a code word for black people) with rednecks. Within the context of his post these are both bad things.

[RattlerGator]

mtraininjax, you're only acknowledging one part of the problem equation -- winning.

That, alone, doesn't solve the problem of a small-market team in the NFL and that, make no mistake about it, is the essential problem of our franchise.

[1] There must be a revenue stream over-and-above butts in the seats for these teams to compete nationally. Because there is something of an algorithm being employed by players, agents, executives, etc., that factors in here (such as health of the franchise, revenue streams and endorsement opportunities, and desirability). All of these come into play.

That Clevelander Deck is speaking to NFL free agents just as much as it is speaking to a lucrative young crowd well-aware of the Clevelander name. They (Jaguars executives) have engaged in something of an ingenious effort to make Big Duval more cool, more desirable. As a whole, we've got an incredibly bad history of selling this most unique metropolitan area in Florida (personally, we missed a huge opportunity during consolidation by not changing the name of the city to Duval -- Jacksonville as a name I happen to like but, atmospherics-wise, it's just too long) to the young crowd.

[2] The Jags have to make for a fun stadium experience to combat not only the current attendance problem nationally (easy and often preferable HD experience at home) but to also desperately try and entice folks from the Gainesville-Ocala TV market, the northern and eastern sections of the Orlando TV audience (Daytona Beach and Melbourne) and the folks from the Savannah TV market to come to our games. We're in a race to become more of a regional team. Blake Bortles is going to seriously help with this because we desperately need more of the Orlando TV audience to become fans of the Jaguars.

Look -- we are what we are, and our negatives are just as evident as our positives -- but the positives far outweigh the negatives and limitations. Shad Khan, whether or not he does something with the Shipyards property (hopefully making it a more year-round destination), is off to a mighty good start as owner of our team. A mighty good start.

[ProjectMaximus]

You cannot help but notice how young the crowds have become at Jaguars games. It's great to see. That is the future of the franchise.

Where is the 3-ring circus, fire breathers, and elephants? How about putting Jaxson on a trapeze across the stadium while the game is going on down below? Cirque du soleil coming next? How about a roller coaster that consumes the entire upper deck, since its rarely full with most of those people hanging out in the Bud Zone (which really does take away fans from their seats and should be sold as standing room only instead, its coming when the Jags start winning too)

Lamping, Kahn and the other people selling attractions are throwing (explative) against a wall to see what sticks. The pools, the club, the chicks dressed for a concrete version of south beach, is all derived to bring an NBA player's dream strip club to the NFL for daytime use.

None of these tactics are needed, IF, and its the mother &*#$%) of all IFs, Lamping, Khan, Bradley and Caldwell can put a winning team on the field. These sideshows are apparently needed to get people into the stands. Winning solves everything with the franchise. Call this sideshow the "Westsider", because all its done is put the "Bestside" on display for the entire world. It ain't pretty.

Lamping has nothing to do with the on-field production. That''s up to Caldwell and Bradley. And winning does not solve everything. Winn-Dixie was struggling to give away tickets at times during the glory days of the late 90s (granted a much younger fanbase and a much larger stadium capacity). And winning is NOT guaranteed. There will always be meager times ahead for every franchise (you cant stay on top all the time) so there have to be ways to sustain without winning.

But winning does help and the Jags haven't had much of that in far too long.

[pierre]

I'll admit, I can appreciate the efforts put fourth by the Marketing department. However, having some DJ on a giant ass scoreboard screaming "It's going down right now at the Clevelander!" while we are getting our ass kicked isn't the smartest idea IMO.

The Clevelander thing is annoying. Especially them giving "shout outs" to all the Steelers fans on Sunday. In our stadium. Embarassing.

[duvaldude08]

I'll admit, I can appreciate the efforts put fourth by the Marketing department. However, having some DJ on a giant ass scoreboard screaming "It's going down right now at the Clevelander!" while we are getting our ass kicked isn't the smartest idea IMO.

The Clevelander thing is annoying. Especially them giving "shout outs" to all the Steelers fans on Sunday. In our stadium. Embarassing.

GOsh why are we so sensative to everything? We get out panties in a bunch of the smallest things. Smile

[Steve]

Amen Maximus-people have to understand that the business side is completely separate, and Lamping's side is responsible for bringing in butts in the seats (or pool or barstool) regardless of the team's performance. Even with the best leadership, there will be lean years. Long term, every team has lean years. The late 80's Steelers and Cowboys were some bad teams.

[I-10east]

GOsh why are we so sensative to everything? We get out panties in a bunch of the smallest things. Smile

LOL DD, you're on a roll today!!!

[KenFSU]

mtraininjax, you're only acknowledging one part of the problem equation -- winning.

That, alone, doesn't solve the problem of a small-market team in the NFL and that, make no mistake about it, is the essential problem of our franchise.

[1] There must be a revenue stream over-and-above butts in the seats for these teams to compete nationally. Because there is something of an algorithm being employed by players, agents, executives, etc., that factors in here (such as health of the franchise, revenue streams and endorsement opportunities, and desirability). All of these come into play.

That Clevelander Deck is speaking to NFL free agents just as much as it is speaking to a lucrative young crowd well-aware of the Clevelander name. They (Jaguars executives) have engaged in something of an ingenious effort to make Big Duval more cool, more desirable. As a whole, we've got an incredibly bad history of selling this most unique metropolitan area in Florida (personally, we missed a huge opportunity during consolidation by not changing the name of the city to Duval -- Jacksonville as a name I happen to like but, atmospherics-wise, it's just too long) to the young crowd.

[2] The Jags have to make for a fun stadium experience to combat not only the current attendance problem nationally (easy and often preferable HD experience at home) but to also desperately try and entice folks from the Gainesville-Ocala TV market, the northern and eastern sections of the Orlando TV audience (Daytona Beach and Melbourne) and the folks from the Savannah TV market to come to our games. We're in a race to become more of a regional team. Blake Bortles is going to seriously help with this because we desperately need more of the Orlando TV audience to become fans of the Jaguars.

Look -- we are what we are, and our negatives are just as evident as our positives -- but the positives far outweigh the negatives and limitations. Shad Khan, whether or not he does something with the Shipyards property (hopefully making it a more year-round destination), is off to a mighty good start as owner of our team. A mighty good start.

Great post, very well said.

We're a small market with a stadium that is still huge on a per capita basis compared to the rest of the league. We don't have the corporate support that larger markets do. The home theater experiences gets better and cheaper every year, as do the number of other options for spending our discretionary income.

It is an amazing accomplishment to get 60,000 at Everbank on Sundays, and a borderline miracle and great testament to Khan/Lamping to actually increase revenue on the back of one of the worst seasons in franchise history.

Love the Weavers and we owe Wayne a tremendous debt of gratitude for making sure the team stayed in Jacksonville, but a lot of the things that Khan and Lamping are doing now are things that that Weaver should have been doing at least a decade ago, particularly in regards to regional marketing and game-day experience. That's what I like about the new ownership. They are proactive, rather than reactive.

The Clevelander deck might be annoying to some, but it's boosting the bottom line, squeezing dollars out of an area that used to produce dimes, and ultimately helping to provide long-term sustainability to the Jaguars franchise in Jacksonville. I'll take that tradeoff, even if it means a goofy DJ occasionally saying stupid stuff.

[I-10east]

I might be in the minority, but I personally think what the DJ doing is pretty cool. Is it mandatory that every Jag fan have to wallow in their tears after every loss? If fans what to be apart of a post game party, win or lose, who I'm I to get angry at that?

It could be argued that so far the home games hasn't been so dismal as many are making it out to be. Versus Indy a team that most believe is tops in the AFC South; Bortles finally starts in the second half, and finishes with 17 points. Versus Pittsburgh facing what most think is a more talented team, and being competitive despite being injury riddled.

   

[duvaldude08]

I might be in the minority, but I personally think what the DJ doing is pretty cool. Is it mandatory that every Jag fan have to wallow in their tears after every loss? If fans what to be apart of a post game party, win or lose, who I'm I to get angry at that?

It could be argued that so far the home games hasn't been so dismal as many are making it out to be. Versus Indy a team that most believe is tops in the AFC South; Bortles finally starts in the second half, and finishes with 17 points. Versus Pittsburgh facing what most think is a more talented team, and being competitive despite being injury riddled.

you know I was just thinking the same thing yesterday. Our home games were gut wrenching the first half of last seasonl. We werent moving the ball, we scored like one TD.. But I REALLY enjoyed myself Sunday. I would have loved a home win for Bortles, but hes a rookie and I didnt expect him to come in a be a super hero. The second half of the colts game was fun also.

[jaxjags]

These days not many teams that are 0 and 4 would could draw or expect 70,000 fans even with the Steelers help (although all the "Steeler " fans I talked to were from JAX or FL). San Diego is nearly twice the metro pop and they have been close to black outs this year. Same with Oakland and other cities being sold out but many empty seats. It is hard to fill 60,000 + seats with 1.4 million people and only a 20 year history. I recently saw that JAGS attendance totals are larger than Steelers due to larger stadium, but the metro area is larger. The JAGS fans come and yes, with the stadium improvements the atmosphere does provide a fun day win or lose.

[I-10east]

^^^Well said. You can add Cincinnati to that list of underachieving fanbases despite winning. One of the Bengals players even called the fanbase out basically.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/10/07/bengals-george-iloka-we-dont-want-bandwagon-fans/

[edjax]

I think the Clevelqnder Deck is trying to equate Jax more with Florida instead of Georgia.  I, for one, am quite ok with that.

[ProjectMaximus]

These days not many teams that are 0 and 4 would could draw or expect 70,000 fans even with the Steelers help (although all the "Steeler " fans I talked to were from JAX or FL). San Diego is nearly twice the metro pop and they have been close to black outs this year. Same with Oakland and other cities being sold out but many empty seats. It is hard to fill 60,000 + seats with 1.4 million people and only a 20 year history. I recently saw that JAGS attendance totals are larger than Steelers due to larger stadium, but the metro area is larger. The JAGS fans come and yes, with the stadium improvements the atmosphere does provide a fun day win or lose.

Didn't the supreme court or somebody recently rule against the NFL blackout rule? Obviously not a good thing for the league and I think it may be on its way out.