The Jaguars - How Jacksonville Became an NFL City

[deathstar]

I remember going to the Gator Bowl to watch an NFL game once, it was either the late 80's or very early 90's, and I wanna say it was the Los Angeles Rams.. am I correct?

[Keith-N-Jax]

Buy Tickets if you can.

[fsu813]

There should be 55k + in the stadium this week for the Bills. No excuses! We are in the playoff hunt!

[fsujax]

i agree! I will be there. GO Jags!

[tufsu1]

Will there be any Gator fans in attendance 

[jandar]

Will there be any Gator fans in attendance 

Nah, they are probably going to attend the guaranteed win against FAU.

[fsujax]

^^FIU.....I believe. Maybe some of them will show up Sunday!

[Keith-N-Jax]

I will be at the Jag game as usual. Does any one know of Jax people driving to G-ville attending gator games?

[Tripoli1711]

Driving down from Virginia to go to the game this weekend.  Thankfully this time we don't have to leave immediately after the game and drive back to Virginia.  Last game (StL) we had to do that so, of course, it went into OT.

No OT this week! MJD down their throats.  Buffalo is very weak against the run.  We can't play down to the level of our competition.  Come out 1st half like we did yesterday and this one will be a laugher by halftime.

[Keith-N-Jax]

No OT and no TO.

[urbanlibertarian]

I have season tix for both Gators (since Coach Pell) and Jags (since forever).  I will be at both games this weekend.

[lewyn]

I find this entire discussion to be sad and stupid.  People here think there are a "major league" city because they have a football team (just like Detroit!).  But it hasn't prevented Jacksonville from having 10% unemployment, stagnant crime rates, etc. (just like Detroit!)   There are plenty of "minor league cities" with much healthier economies - like, say, Des Moines (6% unemployment!)

For more data see http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/metro.pdf

[NotNow]

Yeah, way to be negative.

[tufsu1]

I find this entire discussion to be sad and stupid.  People here think there are a "major league" city because they have a football team (just like Detroit!).  But it hasn't prevented Jacksonville from having 10% unemployment, stagnant crime rates, etc. (just like Detroit!)   There are plenty of "minor league cities" with much healthier economies - like, say, Des Moines (6% unemployment!)

Both arguments (football and unemplyment) are stupid.

Our unemplyment has more to do with the overall Florida economy than anything Jax. has done...and its likely that Jax. will recover before th rest of the state.

As for football, there is no question that having an NFL team provides the city more national exposure....whether that is good or bad can be debated.

[stjr]

Lewyn has a point. Sports is entertainment in the lives of some of our citizens and a source of publicity and pride for the city, but it is not a real generator of solutions for the ills and concerns facing everyday citizens.

The article below from the Tampa Tribune is part of what disturbs some about the emphasis on sports.  Note the comments that "boosters" will contribute hundreds of thousands or even millions to high school football programs.  Meanwhile our educational system in this state is considered one of the most, if not the most, underfunded educational systems in the country.

UF may be at the top currently in football and basketball, but, by some accounts, its educational infrastructure is being  compromised by severe financial stresses.  Is this the school we want UF and our other state educational institutions to be?  Could UF get its sports fans to match every dollar they spend supporting athletics there with an equal dollar supporting their educational programs?

Why are people willing to pour their dollars into sports at the high school, college, and pro levels, and not be equally committed to the greatest impact on our quality of life, education (which, ironically, sports is supposed to be a mere adjunct to, not the centerpiece)?  Why do parents have to sue the state legislature to fund education appropriately in this state in accordance with the state constitution? How many of those that buy hundreds of dollars in sports tickets also balked at paying an extra hundred dollars or so in property taxes this year to support education, police, fire, and urgent needs of the community?

The issue being framed is not one of saying not to support sports, but rather why is there such passion to prioritize sports while not exhibiting the same or greater enthusiasm to prioritize more important needs in our community.
 

At Florida schools, football makes business sense

By NICK WILLIAMS

nwilliams@tampatrib.com
Tom Paloumpis has been the boys swimming coach at Hillsborough High School for 15 years. He takes pride in the program's winning tradition.

He said he understands that football is the most popular high school sport in Florida, but he always felt other sports, such as swimming, were respected.

But this year, the state athletic association, in an effort to help school districts in a budget crisis, told programs such as his they were expendable because they didn't make money.

In April, the Florida High School Athletic Association board of directors voted to cut the schedules of every varsity sport, except football, by 20 percent and all nonvarsity sports, including football, by 40 percent. The swim season, for example, was shortened to 11 meets from 13. Baseball, softball and basketball were cut to 20 games instead of 25.

Football was spared because it is the primary moneymaker for most school districts.

The move sparked protests, as parents and coaches pointed to the benefits of kids playing sports that extend beyond the contests themselves.

In July, the board rescinded its decision, reinstating the contests it had cut.

The decision to spare football led to a lawsuit filed in June by Florida's Parents for Athletic Equity, which viewed the vote as a violation of federal gender equity laws, or Title IX.

Jacksonville-based lawyer and former Olympic swimmer Nancy Hogshead-Makar, who represented the plaintiffs, said 29 percent of boys were exempt from the game cuts, and only 5 percent of girls were exempt.

The lawsuit was settled out of court last month.

As part of the settlement, the FHSAA agreed to comply with all state and federal nondiscrimination laws and policies. The FHSAA also must not make a change in the number of contests allowed in a season that would result in treating one gender differently and must provide training about federal gender equity laws at the FHSAA Representative Assembly and Compliance Seminar for three years.

The plaintiffs waived all claims for monetary damages, but the FHSAA must pay their attorney's fees and legal costs: $41,200.

"It is unfortunate that the situation occurred while trying to help our member schools with the financial crisis they are facing, which inadvertently created an unintentional disparity to our student-athletes," FHSAA Executive Director Roger Dearing said in a news release after the settlement. "We will continue to focus on providing excellent academic and athletic opportunities for the girls and boys in the state of Florida."

"There is no exception under gender equity law for football or money-making," Hogshead-Makar, a Gainesville High graduate, said before the lawsuit.

"I grew up thinking boys and girls were treated equally."

Football is king

It's hard to argue with the bottom line: Prep football brings in the majority of high school sports revenue in Florida and helps fund all sports.

•In Pasco County, football accounted for $359,229 of the $640,858 generated by all sports programs at the 11 high schools. At Pasco High, football took in $89,276 of the school's $118,833 in gate receipts in the 2008-09 school year.

"We make $6,000 for one (football home) game. Is that worth taking away?" asked Pasco athletic director Jim Ward. "Is that good business?"

•In Hillsborough County, the district's 25 varsity football teams each averaged $6,000 in revenue per game last year, Hillsborough County athletic director Lanness Robinson said.

•In Pinellas County, the athletics budget last year was about $1.4 million. High school varsity football generated nearly one-third of that, with $456,000 coming from gate receipts, said Nick Grasso, executive director of athletics and extracurricular activities.

"Football is huge," Grasso said. "The other sports lose money. That's the bottom line."

Financial statements across the state tell a similar story.

The FHSAA took in almost $1 million last year, with about $370,000 coming from varsity football. Football accounted for 40 percent of state tournament revenue for all sports, said spokeswoman Cristina Alvarez.

Winning teams bring in even more money, Grasso said.

Last season, 21 area public school teams reached the playoffs. Pasco High, Largo High and Plant High reached the state tournament. Plant won the Class 4A state title, its second in three years. On Friday, six public school teams from Hillsborough and Pinellas advanced to the regional championship rounds of the state playoffs.

"Anytime you win, you're going to sell more tickets," Grasso said. "The more successful programs, the better financially."

Program costs

Hogshead-Makar disputes the numbers.

"It's a cultural myth," Hogshead-Makar said. Football "doesn't make money. It's very expensive to run. The perception is it makes money because the districts absorb most of the costs."

The average cost of a helmet at Pasco High is $160, Ward said. Add to that shoulder pads at $80 and jerseys at $140. The average cost per football player comes to about $400. Officials cost about $420 per game, Ward said. The school must also pay for painting the field and several deputies for security.

Compare that with softball. The average cost of a helmet is $20, jerseys are $140 and officials are paid about $120 per game. The majority of softball and baseball players supply their own gear, Ward said.

Football "has equipment needs swimming doesn't," Paloumpis said. "Swimmers don't wear pads in the pool. We don't cost much. We just need to rent a pool during the season."

Though there are costs associated with football programs that other sports don't have, school officials point to the bottom line - and boosters.

The perception that football is the favored sport because it makes the most money is misunderstood.

"We're all about family here" at Pasco, he said. People "don't know what football boosters pay for. They say, 'Well football has this and this,' but where did the money come from?"

For example, in 2006 the Armwood football program and booster club began raising money for a $1.2 million field house that opened last summer. The team raised $600,000.

"Football is a revenue-generating sport," Robinson said. "Football is a pastime for people in Florida and football is the draw."

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/nov/29/na-at-florida-schools-football-makes-business-sens/sports/