Report: Weaver trying to sell Jaguars

[copperfiend]

it's just the mentality around here - that college is better than pros.

That mentality built a ginormous stadium that would be tough to fill in many NFL cities. If they had a stadium the size of the Colts new stadium, ticket sales would have a waiting list by now.

You know what would be really screwed up? If the rumor is true and they say they're moving to LA and then go on to win the super bowl THIS season. Lol. That could happen and that would be insanity.

The stadium was built that size because of Ga-Fla. At the time, it was bigger than the Jaguars. That is no longer the case. If they could do it again, I am sure they would build a stadium with a capacity in the low 60's like Pittsburgh did.

[thebrokenforum]

The stadium was built that size because of Ga-Fla. At the time, it was bigger than the Jaguars. That is no longer the case. If they could do it again, I am sure they would build a stadium with a capacity in the low 60's like Pittsburgh did.

Exactly. Can you imagine a 90,000 seat stadium here? Lol. Like I said if they put a new stadium in LA it'll be much smaller and privately funded. The past is irrelevant in LA. Do I think they deserve another team? No. But it looks like in a few years they will have another one.

[BridgeTroll]

NFL attendance...

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/attendance

NFL stadium capacity...

http://www.stadiumsofnfl.com/capacity.htm

[KenFSU]

If Wayne Weaver legitimately wasn't thinking about selling, and all of this is just based on some newspaper's speculation, the response I've seen from local citizens online and around town this morning certainly won't do us any favors in the future with Weaver. It's like half the city is ready and willing to crucify the guy for something that hasn't even been confirmed by a second source or picked up by ESPN yet.

It would be nice if Weaver was given the benefit of the doubt until the full story comes out.

[fsujax]

I agree wth Ken, I will hold judgement on Weaver or the Jags until all this is confirmed.  I surely would hate to see our Jags sold.  I love going to the games and watching them on TV when they arent blacked out! You would think for such a hotbed of football we could sell the stadium, but unless its the Gators playing forget it!

[jacksonvilleconfidential]

Go GATORS fsujax!

[downtownparks]

Statement from Wayne Weaver
July 10, 2008

“In light of news reports from last night, I must once again reiterate the fact that I am not selling the Jaguars. The team is not for sale, and I cannot say it any more clearly than that. I’m not going to speculate about the future â€" whatever happens in the future, the Jaguars will be the Jacksonville Jaguars. The situation is the same as it was last year when I explained that we were looking into refinancing some debt and the possibility of adding investors. We chose not to, but that has always been an option. That is the situation now, as it was then.

“The clearest example I can offer which demonstrates my commitment to this team and this city is our offseason activity this year. We extended lucrative contracts to our head coach, our quarterback, and several veteran players. And we spent aggressively in free agency as well. Those are not moves that are made if a team is going to be sold. I don’t know how I can be any stronger in reconfirming my commitment to bringing a championship to Jacksonville.

“We’re excited and energized about the upcoming season and we want our fans to be as excited as we are.”

[copperfiend]

No real surprise. This team among a handful of teams favored to win the Super Bowl.

[BridgeTroll]

Now get out there and buy tickets... No Blackouts this year!!!

[heights unknown]

I think this is a media ploy possibly orchestrated by the Jaguars leadership to:

1) Get people to buy more tickets
2) Get people to renew or increase their interest in the team and increase attendance
3) Get North Florida/South Georgia and other fans to come to Jaguar games so he won't have to sell the team
    which would probably result in a relocation or move if sold to a new owner.

Bottom line...get off your ass Jacksonville and support your football team or you're going to lose the Jaguars and lose them soon; you cried, yearned, and boo hooed for one, and now you don't support it.  If they did leave, then the Jax media, citizens and leaders would pretend to be at a loss as to why they left, pointing fingers here and pointing fingers there regarding who to blame, and of course a huge void would have to be filled; and I'll bet it wouldn't be filled very soon because the NFL is not going to put a team in a city whose track record of support is poor at best.

SUPPORT YOUR TEAM JACKSONVILLE!!!!!!!

Heights Unknown

[heights unknown]

The stadium was built that size because of Ga-Fla. At the time, it was bigger than the Jaguars. That is no longer the case. If they could do it again, I am sure they would build a stadium with a capacity in the low 60's like Pittsburgh did.

Exactly. Can you imagine a 90,000 seat stadium here? Lol. Like I said if they put a new stadium in LA it'll be much smaller and privately funded. The past is irrelevant in LA. Do I think they deserve another team? No. But it looks like in a few years they will have another one.

And...though they may get another football team, let's not forget that Los Angeles very weakly supported the Rams while they were there, and they rarely filled up the Rose Bowl/LA Coliseum, very rarely.  Also, look how long it took for the NFL to finally come around and say that they wanted another football team in Los Angeles. 

So if we lose the Jags, don't look for us to immediately get another football team to play in our NFL tier stadum; so in essence, we really need to buckle down, all of the First Coast and beyond that know and love jags football, and support the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Heights Unknown

[BridgeTroll]

I think this is a media ploy possibly orchestrated by the Jaguars leadership to:

1) Get people to buy more tickets
2) Get people to renew or increase their interest in the team and increase attendance
3) Get North Florida/South Georgia and other fans to come to Jaguar games so he won't have to sell the team
    which would probably result in a relocation or move if sold to a new owner.

Bottom line...get off your ass Jacksonville and support your football team or you're going to lose the Jaguars and lose them soon; you cried, yearned, and boo hooed for one, and now you don't support it.  If they did leave, then the Jax media, citizens and leaders would pretend to be at a loss as to why they left, pointing fingers here and pointing fingers there regarding who to blame, and of course a huge void would have to be filled; and I'll bet it wouldn't be filled very soon because the NFL is not going to put a team in a city whose track record of support is poor at best.

SUPPORT YOUR TEAM JACKSONVILLE!!!!!!!

Heights Unknown

Exactly...Loud applause... Cheering...

[heights unknown]

it's just the mentality around here - that college is better than pros.

That mentality built a ginormous stadium that would be tough to fill in many NFL cities. If they had a stadium the size of the Colts new stadium, ticket sales would have a waiting list by now.

You know what would be really screwed up? If the rumor is true and they say they're moving to LA and then go on to win the super bowl THIS season. Lol. That could happen and that would be insanity.

Would be a pissed off city wouldn't it?  Boy you'd really see the "whose to blame and who's fault is it" questions fired around the city.  The whole City's heart would be broken and torn apart I will tell you; and...Jax already has an identity problem, this would really stick the dagger in the heart and label Jacksonville, "The Big City that couldn't."

Even though this could be a psychological media ploy by Weaver and his Staff, don't ever discount threats (Remember Bob Irsay and the Colts; they threatened to move and then stated they weren't moving either and then stole away in the night to Indianapolis).

So again...SUPPORT YOUR FOOTBALL TEAM JACKSONVILLE.

Heights Unknown

[RiversideGator]

I am happy to see this rumor has been dispelled.  It must be annoying to Weaver, who is probably on vacation, to see these reports of him selling the team repeatedly come up.  This happens at least once a year.  I think he is a good guy and we should all give him the benefit of the doubt here.  I have seen no reason to believe that he is not totally honest.  Now let's get out there and support the Jags and forget about all this.   

[heights unknown]

Riverside;

Yeah Weaver appears to be a good guy, and he may be a good guy; but he is also a business man.

This rumor has not been dispelled yet because Weaver says that the rumors are not true.  Sometimes things go on in the land of the rich and famous that us peasants know nothing about.

How about this scenario:  Rather than hurt the City's feelings by openly threatening to move the team, the smart thing to do would be to secretly orchestrate rumors of a move.  Let's face it, these millionaires and billionaires, liasion with each other and do each other a favor now and then.  It wouldn't surprise me if Weaver did get on the phone and asked this guy to assist him in orchestrating this rumor in order to get Northeast Florida, North Florida and the First Coast off their ass to support the Jaguars.

Again, never discount threats or rumors, ever!  If weak attendance and/or non-support continues, I'll bet my bank account, as small and insignficant as it is, that Weaver will sell this team without any announcement or rumors, and.......this will be done in the not so distant future if Jacksonville continues taking the Jaguars for granted and not supporting them.

Weaver has to pay bills too; so he has to make money off of his investment or sell it.

Heights Unknown