Jaguars on the Field: How do we compare?
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/photos/717152458_HBQdG-M.jpg)
It's one of the most talked about topics at the water cooler - the Jaguars - and their ticket sales woes. Up to this point, the Jaguars have yet to even be close to selling out any of their home games, and most likely will not for the rest of the year. It seems every national media outlet has had at least one writer take a shot at Jacksonville for the lack of ticket sales.
Today, Metro Jacksonville continues its seven part series discussing the Jaguars and the Jacksonville Market, and how they compare to other NFL cities.
Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2009-dec-jaguars-on-the-field-how-do-we-compare
Very insightful to put it in these terms. It's so easy to get the mentality (especially because of Gainesville) that if you're not first, you lost. JAGS are a great team when you step back and look at the big picture.
While I did not renew my season tickets for this year (personal economic reasons), I am committing to renew these next year. I sure hope we keep this team...
PS - Quentin Groves is starting to play like we wanted him to play, but he is best at the 3-4 defense (which we are far from perfecting). When we drafted him, we knew he would only play about 40% of the downs. If only he won't trip himself up next time he goes for a touchdown! ;P
Tom Coughlin was great at selecting first round picks. But he struck out on quite a few second round picks (Larry Smith, Cordell Taylor most notabley) and the majority of his picks after round two made little to no impact on this team.
^True, which also shows the importance of good drafting. If they had drafted better, then they wouldn't have needed all of those high priced free agents. However, the situation wasn't as bad, because the first round picks were successful.
It's also the reason the Jaguars have been somewhat successful under Jack Del Rio despite the mediocre first round picks. Mid-late round picks like Sims-Walker, Wilford, Manuwai, McCray and Scobee produced.
Thanks for the article Steve (assuming you are the author).
I don't think anyone could have said it better.
Well written article and I agree with it. I (like Hurricane above) didn't renew this year, only for economic purposes and plan to renew again next year. It hurt not to renew this year as I hadn't missed a home game in 6 years.
If you can afford to attend just one game this season, I urge everyone to buy tickets to the Dec. 17 game against the Colts.
Hopefully they can gel as a team and start all playing together on the same page every game. Let's leave the Seahawk and 49er's games in the past!
"If you can afford to attend just one game this season, I urge everyone to buy tickets to the Dec. 17 game against the Colts."
I have 6 , count 'em, 6 tickets to the game!
Just reported on WJXT, speculation Jags may move to L.A. - they are going to build a new stadium contingent upon securing a team. No comment from Jags camp, L.A. very smug saying 50/50 chance "a team" will sign.
Quote from: sandyshoes on December 03, 2009, 06:05:28 PM
Just reported on WJXT, speculation Jags may move to L.A. - they are going to build a new stadium contingent upon securing a team. No comment from Jags camp, L.A. very smug saying 50/50 chance "a team" will sign.
This video came out the other day and was on Jaguars This Week. The smug L.A. person is affiliated with Majestic Realty, whose CEO is the individual who would be majority owner of an L.A. team.
While not to dismiss the seriousness of this situation at all, remember:
1) There's no reason to conclude the team they're referring to is definitely Jacksonville
2) The person making the statement has a vested interest in the situation and may be using puffery to sway opinion
I am very frightened of how many in Jacksonville seem to be taking the endless L.A. talk to heart and acting as though the team is a goner and no one should buy tickets, or inventing the idea that the city never supported the team, or just turning on the team altogether and constantly maligning it. This is exactly what the L.A. people want.
Do not give them what they want.
ditto
good series but is there information available on the web regarding approximate team economics? I know that Forbes generally ranks teams by value each year but the reality is that these franchises are ongoing businesses. Jacksonville has low attendance lately but also has a pretty sweet stadium lease. That is what folks need to look at more than just overall attendance. Tampa had the worst team in the league in every category for decades, the Jaguars program isnt even close. why are they still there? Because they made money. The LA thing still makes me laugh. You would have to be truly desperate or insane to commit to some bozo with an NFL franchise that had not even begun to turn dirt. What is the lease on that thing anyway? At least more than $50 million a year. What do the Jaguars pay? $4-5 something like that. LA lost two teams. Ask any sports writer based there. They dont care. If anyone goes there it will be the Rams coming back home. Buy your tickets though because we have a great franchise when I look around the rest of the league. Small town, big city, the economics are just different.
I bought my tix for the Colts game. Even though I didn't renew the season tix this year, I have been able to go to 5 out of the 10. The only thing is that I am buying off the resale market (Stub Hub), therefore it really isn't providing additional ticket sales for the team... Go JAGS!
Quote from: sandyshoes on December 03, 2009, 06:05:28 PM
Just reported on WJXT, speculation Jags may move to L.A. - they are going to build a new stadium contingent upon securing a team. No comment from Jags camp, L.A. very smug saying 50/50 chance "a team" will sign.
Speculation that has been around for years is breaking news? I wonder if WJXT saw the ESPN article from Adam Schefter.
Quote"a team" will sign.
There are 10 other teams that "may sign", I still think it will be either Buffalo or Minnesota, neither team is getting the cities to build them a new stadium, and Jax just gave away 5 million a year to the Jags for improvements.
As long as the city, Peyton's only accomplishment in my eyes, plays nice and invests in the team, I think they will stay. Of course a better playing team would be nice too, that would sell more seats.
I wish Peyton had gotten involved sooner, though I am thankful he is showing some leadership now. This problem and its magnitude was obvious since the spring. I was writing letters back then to various Jacksonville leaders in the hopes that something like the TD Jax revival would happen before the season.
Yes, better performance always sells more seats, but we have to get to the point where the Jaguars sell out as a matter of course regardless of whether they have a rough season. All teams go through cycles. Many teams will still sell out even if their teams have a rough year or two. Not all markets can accomplish this, but more than half can, and we have a small margin for error since we're a small market that's perpetually under a media microscope. And for the record, the Jaguars are vastly improved from last year and are playoff contenders, with a young roster clearly on the upswing. Sometimes I wonder how many people realize that.
I wish they could go to a public ownership model a la Green Bay. Weaver would still remain majority owner but give the fans opportunity to buy into the team. League doesnt allow though. It sure makes sense in a small market
Hi everyone! Gil Samson, Urban Jacksonville Jaguars writer, posted an amazing article today. Please read if you love Jacksonville and the Jaguars: http://www.urbanjacksonville.info/2009/12/04/we-must-protect-this-house/
Quote from: urbanjacksonville on December 04, 2009, 03:50:46 PM
Hi everyone! Gil Samson, Urban Jacksonville Jaguars writer, posted an amazing article today. Please read if you love Jacksonville and the Jaguars: http://www.urbanjacksonville.info/2009/12/04/we-must-protect-this-house/
That article is a thing of beauty, and I hope it will change hearts and minds. Although I'm mystified at the commentor who stated that she hates the Jaguars because they anger and embarrass her.
Steve, I'm Really enjoying your articles in this series so far. I'm learning a lot. They're written really well and in a way that makes it easy for a newbie like me to understand. Can't wait to read the next one.
;)
Quote from: SunKing on December 04, 2009, 11:28:42 AM
I wish they could go to a public ownership model a la Green Bay. Weaver would still remain majority owner but give the fans opportunity to buy into the team. League doesnt allow though. It sure makes sense in a small market
Right now the team is losing money. Don't think we want to push for this now :)
Really? Not so. The Jaguars are about right in the middle of the league in operating income (making money). Only 2 teams lose money right now, which is hard to do in the NFL, given a guaranteed revenue share of about $150 million. Teams lose money today either by having expensive stadium leases or paying on worthless contracts, which is the case with Seattle and Oakland.
Jacksonville actually leads half the league including Carolina, Green Bay, Tennessee, Pittsburgh and Dallas! in MAKING MONEY. Which is why I say not all is as it appears.
I would much rather own interest in the team and never even receive a dividend (but retain value should the team be sold) rather than pay for a PSL.
QuoteJacksonville actually leads half the league including Carolina, Green Bay, Tennessee, Pittsburgh and Dallas! in MAKING MONEY. Which is why I say not all is as it appears.
Can you provide a link to back this up?
^Not Possible. The only team that actually opens its books is the Green Bay Packers, because it is owned by the City of Green Bay. Forbes does an estimate, but they are not considered all that accurate.
That is what I thought... Thanks Steve. :)
Well if Forbes is "not accurate" then figure it out for yourselves. Green Bay is the only team with open books but there is no mystery to what a team's major revenues or expenses are, players and coaches salaries, stadium lease, travel expenses.
Revenues are easier to understand: guaranteed revenue share plus Jaguars average about $5 million a game in ticket and game day sales, then the rest is sponsorships.
There are actually other sources besides Forbes, but believe what you want, the numbers are right in front of your nose.
Just asking you to post a link to the source you cite... pretty simple.
Quote from: Wacca Pilatka on December 03, 2009, 06:44:12 PM
Quote from: sandyshoes on December 03, 2009, 06:05:28 PM
Just reported on WJXT, speculation Jags may move to L.A. - they are going to build a new stadium contingent upon securing a team. No comment from Jags camp, L.A. very smug saying 50/50 chance "a team" will sign.
This video came out the other day and was on Jaguars This Week. The smug L.A. person is affiliated with Majestic Realty, whose CEO is the individual who would be majority owner of an L.A. team.
While not to dismiss the seriousness of this situation at all, remember:
1) There's no reason to conclude the team they're referring to is definitely Jacksonville
2) The person making the statement has a vested interest in the situation and may be using puffery to sway opinion
I am very frightened of how many in Jacksonville seem to be taking the endless L.A. talk to heart and acting as though the team is a goner and no one should buy tickets, or inventing the idea that the city never supported the team, or just turning on the team altogether and constantly maligning it. This is exactly what the L.A. people want.
Do not give them what they want.
Good assertion "Wacca;" seems to be some type of psychology their casting out there. If we bite, then we'll get hooked and caught.
Heights Unknown
Jaguars are looking better the last two weeks. Looks like they might make the playoffs as a wildcard if they keep winning. Let's keep supporting them even if it's by radio.
Heights Unknown
Quote from: BridgeTroll on December 07, 2009, 06:34:03 AM
Just asking you to post a link to the source you cite... pretty simple.
This is an ongoing debate on the Jaguar message board. Based on estimates from the Packers' books (as Steve mentioned) and other known or intuitive revenue and expense items, Forbes estimated the Jaguars made $28 million in 2007 and $20 million in 2006. They were ranked right in the middle of the pack in revenues per Forbes. However, Vic Ketchman on the Jaguar website has implied repeatedly that Forbes was way off and the Jaguars were significantly less profitable than that, and Wayne Weaver said in a T-U interview in the summer that the Jaguars will lose money this year.
who isn't losing money this year?
I don't see how Jacksonville could be profitable this year. Yesterday's game set a franshise record for the lowest attended game. It was even worse looking since there were only 36,000 people in the stands. I believe they have set that record more than once this season.
QuoteIt was Jacksonville's fifth straight victory at home and came in front of an announced crowd of 42,079 -- the lowest in franchise history.
http://www.news4jax.com/sports/21881723/detail.html
On the field, Jags compare... oh.... let's see here...
Somewheres around...heck, I dunno, I'll just throw this out there...
7 and 5.
I'll take it.