The Jaguars -- What's Your Suggestion?

[Adam Hollingsworth]

After a long hiatus fighting the budget battles, I'm back.  Apologies to the forum.  I guess I have not yet fully integrated new media into my day to day life.  Hopefully, I'll do better in the days ahead.

As the Peyton Administration looks to our final 21 months in office, the question is: where and how can we make the greatest difference.  I think you'll see us focus on three areas:

1. Continue to invest in public spaces downtown to ensure more valuable private investment when the market turns.  We kicked off this discussion in the spring and we believe in it as strongly today as we did then. 

2. Continue to build a strong, stable and sustainable financial model for the city.  Not only does that allow us to invest and move forward, it is also a key element for creating jobs in Jacksonville...a priority of Mayor Peyton from day one.

3. A new focus on the Jacksonville Jaguars.  As you have seen recently in the local press, the Mayor is pushing ticket sales and a return to the days of sold-out stadiums and a town busting as the seams over our NFL franchise.  (Also see today's New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/03/sports/football/03jaguars.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=john%20peyton&st=cse)

We have done it before and we can do it again.

It is on this last issue, that I would love some input.  Watch for details soon about a focus to sell-out two games this year...Kansas City Chiefs on November 8 (a game that falls right in the middle of the City's Week of Valor celebration...it precedes Veterans Day and is during the Air Show at the beach) and Indianapolis Colts on December 17 (Jacksonville's only nationally broadcast game...a Thursday night, NFL Network production).

What's it going to take to drive ticket sales and what's your suggestion for selling out the two games mentioned above?

By the way, ponder these questions while attending tomorrow's Jaguars game...1pm kickoff against our nemesis the Tennessee Titans!

[David]

If the cost of going to a game were the mere price of a ticket that'd be great, but the extras add up quickly. I know the Jags can't give away 20,000 tickets, but maybe offering temporary discounts on food, beverages and parking is one suggestion to fill the seats for those two specific games mentioned above.

Perhaps a special event with reasonably priced concessions before the game somewhere near the stadium to drum up support & pump up the fans. Met Park maybe?

I know ticket prices are low compared to the rest of the league, but lack of income has kept me from attending games so far this year. I've solved that problem for now and look forward to attending at least 3-4 games later in the season

Oh yeah, and winning would help too

[TREE4309]

Winning solves everything.

[thelakelander]

^Probably implementing the proposed improvements to Metropolitan Park and determining what the best use for other waterfront public land will be.

[Ocklawaha]

Funding for the next phase of the Jacksonville Streetcar Study. This is dead until some funds are provided, and national numbers say NOTHING will create a boom like a historic streetcar line. At $5 - 10 million a mile, it wouldn't be hard to build the line and lease it to a non-profit for operations (HINT). Let me know Adam, good to have you back, see you in church.

OCKLAWAHA/BOB

[Keith-N-Jax]

Doubt if any prices will be lowered.They have already offered the flex pack. Eat before you go to the game, park and walk to the stadium if you can. I spent $44 at the Cardinal game $44 for the ticket and $4 for a bottle of water, yes a bottle of water. Wouldnt have needed the water if it wasnt so hot out there. I am in the 203 sec, these same seats cost me $80 a piece last yr now I get three seats for $120. COME on people this is not a flea market Jaguars have done their part asides from winning more games. You cant have your cake and eat it too.

[urbanlibertarian]

I don't think the Jags will be selling out many, if any, games until unemployment, home construction and consumer confidence improve.  Businesses and professionals are the most likely purchasers of tickets and business has to be good for them to spend money for their own entertainment or their customers'.

[riverside_mail]

true, but you have to be able to afford the cake in the first place. People's discretionary income has shrunk in size, but you still have the same amount of venues chasing those dollars. Either they will have to slash prices or get really creative in their marketing strategies. I don't believe the flex pack qualifies as really creative, else we wouldn't be discussing blackouts.

[Keith-N-Jax]

Flex pack has nothing to do with black outs,,people here are just lazy and spoiled. Jags where 11-5 one yr yet still had to request extensions.There was nothing wrong with the economy then. WHen people stop with the excuses we just start to move forward. I didnt know Jax was the only city hit hard with the recession.

[TREE4309]

Look at some of the numbers for uncovered seats in the Jaguars stadium compared to others around the league, the size of the Jacksonville market compared to the other NFL cities, the correlation between the two, and there's your answer.  Not to mention the insane popularity of college football in this part of the country, which arguably takes away from the Jags fan base, the lackluster performance in the previous season, and the "rebuilding" process they're in now with a lot of unknown talent...it's really not surprising at all that the Jags don't pack the stadium.

[DavidWilliams]

Winning solves everything.

Agree. The last two games will put more asses in seats. Great atmosphere today. Beautiful weather, a small but very amped up and loud crowd. Stringing two impressive performances back week to week will go a long way.

[Keith-N-Jax]

Never thought I'd agree with the naysayers, but maybe the NFL doesnt belong in this city.

[JaxBorn1962]

We are DOOMED if most of are Fan base are Gator Fans (We’re a bunch of spoiled fans,” said Don Eshelman, a Gators season-ticket holder who gave up his Jaguars tickets after the 2000 season. “We can go down the road and see a winning team.”) A Quote from the New York Times

[David]

Yeah that's my other suggestion. someone should make the gators sick so they start losing. If that happens maybe they'll come to the jag games again.

[copperfiend]

We are DOOMED if most of are Fan base are Gator Fans (We’re a bunch of spoiled fans,” said Don Eshelman, a Gators season-ticket holder who gave up his Jaguars tickets after the 2000 season. “We can go down the road and see a winning team.”

I don't think that many people are going to Gainesville for Gator games instead of Jaguar games.