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[Keith-N-Jax]

If they wont sell the land The Landing sits on, they certainly will not sell the stadium. Not even sure if that is possible and if it were I would wait a few years until we really see what Khan is all about.

[Tacachale]

We're not selling the stadium. We've spent untold millions on that thing and its predecessors for many decades. It belongs to the city.

[Adam W]

We're not selling the stadium. We've spent untold millions on that thing and its predecessors for many decades. It belongs to the city.

I agree that it should be sold. Let the city make some $$$ from it and not have to pay for its upkeep and upgrades. Of course, no sane NFL owner would buy the stadium, when Joe Taxpayer gets to foot all the bills and barely see any of the proceeds.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

We're not selling the stadium. We've spent untold millions on that thing and its predecessors for many decades. It belongs to the city.

I agree that it should be sold. Let the city make some $$$ from it and not have to pay for its upkeep and upgrades. Of course, no sane NFL owner would buy the stadium, when Joe Taxpayer gets to foot all the bills and barely see any of the proceeds.

There are plenty of privately owned stadiums, but that still doesn't translate into Joe Taxpayer not footing a nice chunk of the bill when it comes to upgrades.  Civic QOL costs.

[Tacachale]

^Exactly. The owners find a way to get money out of taxpayers regardless of who owns the stadium. There are few if any cases where the city gets a big chunk of the proceeds compared to how much it spends on its team. At least this way, well, we own the stadium we paid for.

[cline]

We're not selling the stadium. We've spent untold millions on that thing and its predecessors for many decades. It belongs to the city.

I agree that it should be sold. Let the city make some $$$ from it and not have to pay for its upkeep and upgrades. Of course, no sane NFL owner would buy the stadium, when Joe Taxpayer gets to foot all the bills and barely see any of the proceeds.

There are plenty of privately owned stadiums, but that still doesn't translate into Joe Taxpayer not footing a nice chunk of the bill when it comes to upgrades.  Civic QOL costs.

Actually, there's only five privately owned NFL stadiums:  Bank of America Stadium, Sun Life Stadium, Gillette Stadium, Lincoln Financial Field and FedEx Field.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

Green Bay, Dallas, NYG/NYJ,

[cline]

Green Bay, Dallas, NYG/NYJ,

Lambeau Field is owned by the City of Green Bay, Cowboys Stadium is owned by the City of Arlington and MetLife (NYG/NYJ) is owned by the New Jersey Sports Authority (State of New Jersey).

[Tacachale]

^Yes, and additionally, does anyone really know who actually owns Lincoln Financial Field? The Eagles and the city have sued each other so many times in the last 9 years it's hard to keep track. At any rate, with the exception of Bank of America Stadium, every one of those privately owned stadiums have required hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars. And this is besides baseball fields and indoor arenas. If we're paying that kind of money I'd rather own the thing.

[Adam W]

^Yes, and additionally, does anyone really know who actually owns Lincoln Financial Field? The Eagles and the city have sued each other so many times in the last 9 years it's hard to keep track. At any rate, with the exception of Bank of America Stadium, every one of those privately owned stadiums have required hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars. And this is besides baseball fields and indoor arenas. If we're paying that kind of money I'd rather own the thing.

I can see your point. I think the issue to be resolved then, is not ownership of the stadium, but how much liability taxpayers should have for the maintenance of a professional sports franchise.

If the CoJ owns the Gator Bowl, it should get the proceeds from concessions and naming rights (and parking). But, disregarding the current contracts, it would be impossible to do that: all the team has to do is threaten to leave for greener pastures and someone, somewhere will be willing to give them a better deal.

Hell, I honestly believe the team will leave Jacksonville sooner or later. It's just a matter of when, not if. I don't say that because of any deep-seated antipathy towards the Jaguars. I say that because Jacksonville is a tiny market and there is more money to be made elsewhere.

Whether or not that is LA is immaterial.

[duvaldude08]

^Yes, and additionally, does anyone really know who actually owns Lincoln Financial Field? The Eagles and the city have sued each other so many times in the last 9 years it's hard to keep track. At any rate, with the exception of Bank of America Stadium, every one of those privately owned stadiums have required hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars. And this is besides baseball fields and indoor arenas. If we're paying that kind of money I'd rather own the thing.

I can see your point. I think the issue to be resolved then, is not ownership of the stadium, but how much liability taxpayers should have for the maintenance of a professional sports franchise.

If the CoJ owns the Gator Bowl, it should get the proceeds from concessions and naming rights (and parking). But, disregarding the current contracts, it would be impossible to do that: all the team has to do is threaten to leave for greener pastures and someone, somewhere will be willing to give them a better deal.

Hell, I honestly believe the team will leave Jacksonville sooner or later. It's just a matter of when, not if. I don't say that because of any deep-seated antipathy towards the Jaguars. I say that because Jacksonville is a tiny market and there is more money to be made elsewhere.

Whether or not that is LA is immaterial.

There are three markets that are actually smaller than we are this point. (Green Bay, New Orleans, due to katrina,  and Detriot). SO whats your point? Im just about any team can make more one in LA. Point Blank, them team is ours. All these theories about grand money making schemes is a crock of crap. Money can be made here as long as people support the team . PERIOD

[Adam W]

^Yes, and additionally, does anyone really know who actually owns Lincoln Financial Field? The Eagles and the city have sued each other so many times in the last 9 years it's hard to keep track. At any rate, with the exception of Bank of America Stadium, every one of those privately owned stadiums have required hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars. And this is besides baseball fields and indoor arenas. If we're paying that kind of money I'd rather own the thing.

I can see your point. I think the issue to be resolved then, is not ownership of the stadium, but how much liability taxpayers should have for the maintenance of a professional sports franchise.

If the CoJ owns the Gator Bowl, it should get the proceeds from concessions and naming rights (and parking). But, disregarding the current contracts, it would be impossible to do that: all the team has to do is threaten to leave for greener pastures and someone, somewhere will be willing to give them a better deal.

Hell, I honestly believe the team will leave Jacksonville sooner or later. It's just a matter of when, not if. I don't say that because of any deep-seated antipathy towards the Jaguars. I say that because Jacksonville is a tiny market and there is more money to be made elsewhere.

Whether or not that is LA is immaterial.

There are three markets that are actually smaller than we are this point. (Green Bay, New Orleans, due to katrina,  and Detriot). SO whats your point? Im just about any team can make more one in LA. Point Blank, them team is ours. All these theories about grand money making schemes is a crock of crap. Money can be made here as long as people support the team . PERIOD

Perhaps, but there are limits to the amount of money that can be made in Jax, based on the size of the market. I suppose if the Jaguars can get amazing, unwavering fan support forever, then the team might stay. But that's not likely to happen.

The NFL actually encourages this sort of thing, by limiting the number of franchises in order to protect their value. Since the league rarely expands, cities who want teams do what they can to entice teams to relocate - teams that are struggling.

Who knows about NOLA or Detroit - those teams may relocate one day. I don't see the Packers ever leaving Green Bay (and not just because the team is owned by the community) - they're a very old team and have a long, storied past and obvious deep ties to the area. So they can deal with being in a small market. And they have a lot of fans outside of Green Bay who buy their merchandise.

In fact, that's why the Jaguars took the cynical decision to make the team colors teal and black - to sell merchandise. I don't know how well it worked, it might've been a great idea (I honestly don't know). And maybe if the Jaguars start winning championships, their success will lead to lots of people around the USA and the world buying their merch. But as it stands right now, LA is a better brand than Jax. And money talks.

The team may well stay in Jax. I can't predict the future. But I will say this: you don't know either. No one does. But if the team doesn't start winning and selling out the Gator Bowl week in and week out, then I think it's more likely they will move.

I wonder what the bookies say.

[Tacachale]

^Yes, and additionally, does anyone really know who actually owns Lincoln Financial Field? The Eagles and the city have sued each other so many times in the last 9 years it's hard to keep track. At any rate, with the exception of Bank of America Stadium, every one of those privately owned stadiums have required hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars. And this is besides baseball fields and indoor arenas. If we're paying that kind of money I'd rather own the thing.

I can see your point. I think the issue to be resolved then, is not ownership of the stadium, but how much liability taxpayers should have for the maintenance of a professional sports franchise.

If the CoJ owns the Gator Bowl, it should get the proceeds from concessions and naming rights (and parking). But, disregarding the current contracts, it would be impossible to do that: all the team has to do is threaten to leave for greener pastures and someone, somewhere will be willing to give them a better deal.

Hell, I honestly believe the team will leave Jacksonville sooner or later. It's just a matter of when, not if. I don't say that because of any deep-seated antipathy towards the Jaguars. I say that because Jacksonville is a tiny market and there is more money to be made elsewhere.

Whether or not that is LA is immaterial.

^That's an issue with all major league sports in general. They're able to get away with it because they have monopolies over their product. Without any competition, they can artificially limit the number of teams on the market, meaning franchises can get cities to pony up huge amounts of taxpayer dollars for the privilege of having them there, and threaten to leave if they don't get their way.

Cities make their own contracts with teams, and each case is different. For instance, in Baltimore, the Ravens convinced the taxpayers to shell out $200 million for a stadium to attract the team - and the Ravens get to keep all revenue generated by the stadium. That's a bum deal even for professional sports.

On the team leaving Jacksonville, I think that's way off the mark. In the NFL teams rarely, if ever, move for the sole reason of making more day-to-day money in another market - and other than LA, there aren't a lot of other markets that are bigger than Jax and don't already have a team. In the NFL, historically, the reason teams move has been stadium issues, or some similar disagreement with the ownership. Right now the LA boogieman is being used to keep cities in line. We'd be hearing much less about teams relocating if the NFL weren't so dead set on getting into that market.

[Adam W]

Right now the LA boogieman is being used to keep cities in line. We'd be hearing much less about teams relocating if the NFL weren't so dead set on getting into that market.

You may be right - but I think LA will get a team sooner or later. As far as the making money aspect goes, that's one the main reasons mooted for the Chargers possible move.

I think the Jaguars have played up the rumors as well in order to prize more money or concessions from the city.

The Jaguars may not move: but there is no mistaking that they are on the short list of teams that might move to LA. And if LA is going to get a team, either they're going to poach one or the league will have to expand again.

As far as other markets getting the team - that's probably not as likely. Sure, I can think of a few, but the LA issue is far more of a threat. Once LA gets a team (and assuming it's not the Jaguars), I don't think relocation will be anywhere near as much of an issue.

That said, it will always rear its ugly head whenever the team is struggling to sell tickets and the games are being blacked out. Especially if another city with a larger market loses its team to LA.

[Adam W]

That's an issue with all major league sports in general. They're able to get away with it because they have monopolies over their product. Without any competition, they can artificially limit the number of teams on the market, meaning franchises can get cities to pony up huge amounts of taxpayer dollars for the privilege of having them there, and threaten to leave if they don't get their way.

Yes, but not entirely. Leagues with promotion/relegation don't generally suffer from that. For example, the Premier League may be able to limit its member clubs to 20, but three get relegated and three get promoted into the league yearly. Theoretically, a professional team could start out in the lowest league of the pyramid and work its way to the top.

Clearly we don't have that system in the NFL, but I think promotion/relegation would lead to a much more exciting football season.