Jaguars behind in ticket sales, blackouts loom

[Shwaz]

Even still at $60 or 2 ticket's that's a great deal for a product like the NFL. As for food & drinks, the prices are comparable to every movie theater across the country.  You can compare alchohol prices to night out at a concert or show. As for parking, I park downtown and walk the mile or two over for free.

[comncense]

I'm a season ticket holder and I did the 6 month payment plan. To cut down on the cost of going to the games, me and my friends meet up at the parking lot over by Plush and car pool to the stadium and park at the fairgrounds... which averages to paying 5 bucks per person to park. Then we drink and tailgate before the game, so that minimizes the urge of buying a bunch of food and drinks while you're inside the stadium. Like someone said before, I know it can quickly get expensive if you're talking about a family of 3 or more going to the games, but as a single person or couple, it's more affordable that most would think it to be.

[Shwaz]

Just got back from the seat relocation event at the Stadium. It was absolutely dead up there. The last time I did the relocation I waited in line for almost 2 hours. Today I checked out available seats 3 different times and was able to come right back to the table. The blackout possibilities are worse than I thought. On the bright-side I'm excited for my new seats! Section 133!!

[Steve]

For what its worth, the relocation event this year was spread over the weekend, and season ticket holders were given a time window.  This helped, but yes I agree, season tickets will be rough this year.

However we most likely won't be the only ones this year.  Tampa's waiting list was at 170,000 not too long ago - it is now 0.  Blackouts are probably going to occur in St Louis, San Francisco, and Cleveland.

The one city that has surprised me is Nashville - I can never understand how they can support their team so much better than ours.  We have the smallest blackout number in the league (just over 50K), and it's not like the Titans have excited their fans all that much over the years, save for last year.  They are newer than we are, plus they have Vandy football to contend with (a bit different than the Gators, but still).  Any thoughts on this?

[reednavy]

Vanderbilt football isn't supported as much as you'd think. Even being in Nashville, UT Vols are still much bigger. The Titans are the biggest thing in the state sports wise, and is loved dearly. However, I can't explain how they're supported so much, I guess being the only NFL franchise in the whole region there helps.

[stjr]

The one city that has surprised me is Nashville - I can never understand how they can support their team so much better than ours.  We have the smallest blackout number in the league (just over 50K), and it's not like the Titans have excited their fans all that much over the years, save for last year.  They are newer than we are, plus they have Vandy football to contend with (a bit different than the Gators, but still).  Any thoughts on this?

My guess is that Nashville has a more stable, "local" population than we do.  Jax has become like much of the rest of Florida over the last 20 years, where most of our population has shallow or recent roots here.  As such, I don't think they are as easily excited by, or invested in, the Jacksonville banner and often preserve their loyalties to whence they came.  Also, I suspect people in Jax have a lot more "recreational" options due to our climate than those in Nashville, particularly during the football season.  Lastly, Nashville may be a larger, possibly more prosperous, area overall than Jax at the moment.  And, their team may have the edge at being more consistently competitive year in and year out over the last few years.

[Jason]

Nashville isn't the only market the Titans pull from.  They cover all of Tennesse and Kentucky, as well as much of Alabama and Mississippi.  Florida shares 3 teams and is chock full of transplants for the northeast.   IMO, the Titans fanbase surely spreads far and wide.

[blizz01]

Found this diddy titled "Why The Jacksonville Jaguars Should Play Games In Orlando" on The Bleacher Report (pardon me while I vomit):

The Jacksonville Jaguars from their existence have had trouble selling tickets and filling seats. They currently play in a stadium which seats over 76,000, however, many seats must be covered with tarps. This not only makes the stadium look fuller, but it aides in the avoidance of television black outs. Here's an outside the box solution, move some or all of the games to Orlando.

Orlando is in the Jaguars NFL market, and the city gets their games weekly, even over the more popular Miami Dolphins. If the NFL considers Orlando-Jacksonville one market why not play games in both places? Conventional thinking would be that an NFL team should stay in one city, and one stadium. Yet, we see in Toronto and Buffalo that the Bills will play in both cities this year. This will surely boost overall ticket sales, and outpace last years attendance.

My proposal is that the Jaguars play 2-4 games in Orlando's Citrus Bowl once renovations are complete. Orlando is an untapped sports market with only the NBA's Magic and UCF athletics to compete with. The move would solidify the Jaguars place in Central Florida, and push the Bucs back into the Tampa area. Growing the fan base will also alleviate the calls for the Jaguars to move to Los Angeles.

The Jags can't sell their stadium naming right, can't sell season tickets, can't avoid blackouts, and Wayne Weaver is all that stands between them and relocation. Something must be done to avoid this relocation train before it leaves the station.

So move the Jaguars to Orlando for a few games a year, maybe Orlando will build them a new fan base along with a new stadium that they can share with the Rays(a future article) and we can keep 3 NFL teams in Florida.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/198678-why-the-jacksonville-jaguars-should-play-games-in-orlando

[BridgeTroll]

The Packers used to play three of their home games in Milwaukee at the old County Stadium.  This had to stop when they tore down county stadium for the new baseball only park.  It can work...

[Shwaz]

Maybe Tampa should consider this option... they're not sold out either. And closer.

[Wacca Pilatka]

Nashville isn't the only market the Titans pull from.  They cover all of Tennesse and Kentucky, as well as much of Alabama and Mississippi.  Florida shares 3 teams and is chock full of transplants for the northeast.   IMO, the Titans fanbase surely spreads far and wide.

This is true, and it seems to me that Nashville has more corporate money in town too.

Also, Nashville sold permanent seat licenses for the stadium, and if you put that kind of expense into buying a PSL you're likely to continue to buy season tickets on top of that sunk costs.  Charlotte did the same.  This is a big reason why Tennessee and Carolina habitually sell out and why the stated paid attendance for their games is always the exact seating capacity of the stadium.

[Shwaz]

12 month payment plan rolling out for 2010

http://jaguars.com/news/article.aspx?id=7952

The Jacksonville Jaguars announced today that they will become the third team in the National Football League to offer the noncredit-based payment option, eLayawaySPORTS, for season ticket purchases.


“We have found that many of our fans want payment flexibility. They want to pay for their tickets over a six-month or 12-month span,” said Tim Connolly, senior vice president of business development for the Jaguars. “eLayaway makes it easy for them to do just that, and we are pleased to offer this convenient option.”


eLayawaySPORTS will give Jaguars fans the opportunity to pre-pay for their 2010 season tickets through an automated weekly or monthly payment schedule that meets their individual lifestyle and budget. Ticket holders will have up to 12 months â€" through July 1, 2010 â€" to pay for their 2010 season tickets. As with traditional eLayaway transactions, season tickets will be delivered once the order is paid in full.

Ticket holders who utilize this payment technology for the 2010 season will pay a flat 1.9% transaction fee when they set up their order through eLayawaySPORTS.


“The Jaguars are a perfect example of a team that truly cares about their fans in these economic times. We are very excited to see the full potential of eLayawaySPORTS being offered over a 12-month period for both new and existing season ticket holders,” said Sergio Pinon, CEO for eLayaway.

For details, please visit jaguars.com or call 877.4.JAGS.TIX. For more information on the eLayawaySPORTS payment option, please contact the eLayaway Merchant Relations Team at 877.352.9292 or visit eLayawaySPORTS.com.



About eLayawayâ,,¢

eLayaway is an online layaway payment solution that lets shoppers pay over time for their purchases on a schedule that fits their lifestyle and budget. Charged a small, flat 1.9% transaction fee, the consumer receives their merchandise once all payments are made in full. For more information visit www.eLayaway.com.

[BridgeTroll]

Sounds like a great program... NOW MARKET IT!!!!!

[exnewsman]

Just wondering what happens when the company goes under (say about month 10 or 11) and all that money is gone?  and so are your season tickets?

[mtraininjax]

People can't afford their rent, their JEA, the food on the tables....so what, the Jags are a crummy product anyway. They will NEVER make it to the Super Bowl with Del Rio as coach. Now is as good of a time to prove it as ever!