Report: Weaver trying to sell Jaguars

[Eazy E]

Really? The community as a WHOLE benefits?
That's awesome, because, though I love football, I am sure the hundreds of thousands who literally don't care at all, but still have their tax dollars spent to pay the Jags' rent, would have something quite different to say to that.

The Jaguars franchise is a very charitable orginization.  Not to mention the charities that the players themselves contribute to and participate in.  Just because you yourself have not been a direct beneficiary of the Jags doesn't mean that the community doesn't benefit.

I agree with you, completely.
But, to blanketly assert that the ENTIRE city is benefitted by this team is a joke. 
The NFL in general is a monopolistic predator that screws cities over, while at the same time making the cities think they are somehow benefitting from it. And when I say "cities", I'm not talking individual citizens, I am talking the municipalities themselves and their finances.  Trust me, I have had to research these ideas ad nauseum and was disgusted by what I found.

[Eazy E]

Leave it to Easy E to (1) make a comment laced with profanity that (2) demonstrates hostility to those who are financially more successful than him.   

Dude, congrats to Wayne Weaver-- I do not begrudge him success by any means.  What I do begrudge him is making that money by using my private tax dollars to benefit his private entity.  YOu as a conservative should be outraged by such fiscal irresponsibility and the corporate welfare aspect of it.

[Eazy E]

Nobody is pitying him.  The question is do you want the team to stay or not... sounds like you do not care.  Thats OK but the community as a whole benefits from them staying.

Really? The community as a WHOLE benefits?
That's awesome, because, though I love football, I am sure the hundreds of thousands who literally don't care at all, but still have their tax dollars spent to pay the Jags' rent, would have something quite different to say to that.

The same could be said for the Symphony, the zoo, the parks, etc...  There are many amenities that WE all pay for the WE all do not use...

The zoo and symphony, if i am not mistaken, are not-for-profit entities.  They are not private coproations owned by priavte individuals.  Your examples (zoo, symphony, parks) are not even the same-- no comparison can be made.

[BridgeTroll]

Nobody is pitying him.  The question is do you want the team to stay or not... sounds like you do not care.  Thats OK but the community as a whole benefits from them staying.

Really? The community as a WHOLE benefits?
That's awesome, because, though I love football, I am sure the hundreds of thousands who literally don't care at all, but still have their tax dollars spent to pay the Jags' rent, would have something quite different to say to that.

The same could be said for the Symphony, the zoo, the parks, etc...  There are many amenities that WE all pay for the WE all do not use...

The zoo and symphony, if i am not mistaken, are not-for-profit entities.  They are not private coproations owned by priavte individuals.  Your examples (zoo, symphony, parks) are not even the same-- no comparison can be made.

The Suns ballpark... the coleseum... many cities do this.

[Johnny]

Nobody is pitying him.  The question is do you want the team to stay or not... sounds like you do not care.  Thats OK but the community as a whole benefits from them staying.

Really? The community as a WHOLE benefits?
That's awesome, because, though I love football, I am sure the hundreds of thousands who literally don't care at all, but still have their tax dollars spent to pay the Jags' rent, would have something quite different to say to that.

The same could be said for the Symphony, the zoo, the parks, etc...  There are many amenities that WE all pay for the WE all do not use...

The zoo and symphony, if i am not mistaken, are not-for-profit entities.  They are not private coproations owned by priavte individuals.  Your examples (zoo, symphony, parks) are not even the same-- no comparison can be made.

The Suns ballpark... the coleseum... many cities do this.

Make that most cities and the reason... because the city benefits, in turn everyone benefits. Eazy, you are wrong... period. Just b/c you haven't seen any dollars in your pocket from the team, doesn't mean you haven't seen any benefit. Every major city wants an NFL team and justifiably so. You are confused E....

[Johnny]

PS.. 5 year season ticket holder / 2 seats in the NEZ.

[Eazy E]

The zoo and symphony, if i am not mistaken, are not-for-profit entities.  They are not private coproations owned by priavte individuals.  Your examples (zoo, symphony, parks) are not even the same-- no comparison can be made.

The Suns ballpark... the coleseum... many cities do this.

I totally agree-- except for the arena/coliseum as that is not a primarily one-use facility. But, as I understand it, the Suns, for example, pay rent to play in the baseball park.  We-- and almost every other NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL city-- actively pay the rent for the teams in these million dollar stadiums, when the VERY VERY rich owners could do it themselves.  But, we as a nation (and teh active work of teh sports leagues themselves) have fostered an environment where we would rather use tax dollars to pay and build a stadium, and then pay the rent, for a team than spend that money on roads, schools, health care, etc.  It's fine if that's how you want your tax dollars spent, but I think most people would rather their tax dollars not go towards enriching a private entity and/or person. YOUR TAXES are going into Weaver's pocket so he can then one day sell this team at a profit of over half a billion dollars, which, like i said, is to me absolutely ridiculous.

Also, I shoudl point out, i get fired up on this because I did an extensive research paper on it in grad school and have been re-working that same paper the last few days for a new project, so this is something i have studied and am actively studying again, and the whole thing is very, very disheartening in the levels of greed displayed.

[Eazy E]

Make that most cities and the reason... because the city benefits, in turn everyone benefits. Eazy, you are wrong... period. Just b/c you haven't seen any dollars in your pocket from the team, doesn't mean you haven't seen any benefit. Every major city wants an NFL team and justifiably so. You are confused E....
[/quote]

Please explain how I am wrong "period".
I have actually read the arduous and boring reports by economists who have found that professional sports teams and their stadiums-- which is my beef, the stadium, not the team, but the 2 are intertwined-- have a negligible to zero economic impact on their cities.  The money spent inside the stadium is just entertainment dollars the average person would have otherwsie spent on other forms of entertainment.  The stadium itself creates jobs that exist for 8 days of the year and pay mostly minimum wage.  So, please explain where the benefits are and any verifiable, peer-reviewed research to back your assertiosn up.

Like I said, this isn't just spouting off at the lip, I have extensively reserached this subject.

[thebrokenforum]

E:

I think it's safe to say that the people of Jax want the team here, enjoy the team and welcome the presence the NFL gives it. Being "good" for the city can be defined in many ways - it all depends on how you look at it. I know you don't agree with it and there are others that agree with you but I think they're in the minority.

You have a stadium that has no name sponsor.

This baffles me. I cannot understand why there isn't a sponsor yet. It's really weird.

In any case they're not going anywhere so all is good and this season is going to be awesome. I can't wait to read Vic K's column today.   

[BridgeTroll]

I think part of the reason is economic... about the time the Alltel deal was over the economy began slowing.  Perhaps the city is waiting for the Jags to do well this year and increase the naming rights revenue...

[Eazy E]

E:

I think it's safe to say that the people of Jax want the team here, enjoy the team and welcome the presence the NFL gives it. Being "good" for the city can be defined in many ways - it all depends on how you look at it. I know you don't agree with it and there are others that agree with you but I think they're in the minority.

Totally fair assessment. BUt, I would say, that if you define "good" as giving back tangible value, and not just something fun to do with the family, then is demonstrated that the team is not good for the city. But, I realize most people's definition of "good" is whether they simply enjoy watching the games, and I can't fault anyone for that.  And, I would just add, for protection of my own reputation ( )I am ambivalent to the Jags: I like watching them, but I do not think they "make" the city, nor do I think the city would suddenly revert back to the dark ages if  (or when) they left.


Now, if someone wants to state that the Gators aren't good for Gainesville, or the netire state for that matter, we'll fight.

[copperfiend]

Nobody is pitying him.  The question is do you want the team to stay or not... sounds like you do not care.  Thats OK but the community as a whole benefits from them staying.

Really? The community as a WHOLE benefits?
That's awesome, because, though I love football, I am sure the hundreds of thousands who literally don't care at all, but still have their tax dollars spent to pay the Jags' rent, would have something quite different to say to that.

They might not care but they still benefit. How many thousands of hotel nights are purchased as a result of the Jaguars? Do the people staying in the hotels spend money in the community? Do they pay taxes on the hotel room and anything else purchased?

[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

I disagree that this is some grand conspiracy by the team to get more tickets sold.  

If that was indeed the case, the outlet breaking the story wouldn't be an online blog for the Philly Daily News.

Ticket sales aren't the issue that ails this team the most.  They are simply the most visible problem that this team has to contend with since THAT is precisely what the media likes to fixate on and use as some sort of a measuring tool for fan support.  Blackouts have nothing to do with fan passion, but that's not how the mainstream media tends to look at them.

What is truly an issue here is corporate support.  You have a stadium that has no name sponsor.  You've got luxury suites that are going unsold.  You've got club and other premium seating that would normally be bought up by corporate entities that are sitting there available.

It's good to avoid the blackouts because that removes at least one stigma from the city, but in reality it's not the real issue at all.  Fans should buy the tickets if they have the means.  But, companies that are sitting on their hands who have the resources to make block purchases or partner with the team, they need to be pressed to step up and do it.  Otherwise the Jags will relocate.  

I agree... and disagree.  I dont buy the conspiracy theory but empty seats and blackouts DO say something about fan passion.  Not so much the ones in the stands but the ones NOT in the stands.  I would think CSX would be a great name for the stadium...

Not necessarily a conspiracy theory, but a "tough love" conspiracy aimed at garnering and increasing fan support.  I agree that a local big name company is more appropriate for Jacksonville Stadium (i.e., MODIS Stadium, CSX Stadium, Winn-Dixie Stadium).

Heights Unknown

[Steve]

Been out for a day.  Honestly, I had a pretty depressed morning until I found out that this was crap.  Let me say this - I do not think this was a hoax in any way.  This will do nothing but spin up national publicity that the Jaguars either are moving or should move.  If this was a hoax, why would the Phily media mention this before ours.  It doesn't fix.

Now, there were three things about this that seemed off to me when I read it (however I didn't really think about until this morning):

1. The fact that it was first mentioned by Phily.  Like him or not (and I like him a lot), Weaver is a classy guy - if he was selling the team, it would come out here first (or at a press conference)

2.  The guy was supposedly buying 100% of the team.  How can he buy from Weaver 100% of the team, when Weaver doesn't own 100% of the team?

3. The timing - four weeks before training came, when you have 4,000 season tickets left to sell.   I don't believe this will help tickets all that much (if at all).  And, if it was true, how many people would have immediately charged back their season tickets if they paid by credit card?

Now, the concept of everyone benefitting from the Jaguars - yes, we absolutely all do, if nothing else but getting the city tons of publicity that it would otherwize not get.  This in turn will enhance the image of the city, which in turn gets it in front of out of town business interests, which if they open up operations here, enhances our tax base and the local economy.

Right now the Jaguars are going through a bit of a tough financial time, mainly because of the owners revenue sharing agreement, which is not working (the owners unanimously voted to opt out of it in 2010).  A new rev sharing agreement will completely help out the situation.

One of the other issues is the lack of a "leaguethink" model that was instilled by former commissioner Pete Rozelle, and a few of the big market owners from the 1970's, notably former New York Giants owner Wellington Mara.  The biggest market owner in the league actually said that he wanted to pool and split revenues.  He realized by helping out the small market owners, it helped them all out, which has turned the NFL into the behemoth that it is today.

On another note, Jacksonville is not the only city lacking a naming rights deal - Miami play in Dolphins Stadium, because they don't have a sponsor either.

Finally, EASY E, The Jaguars pay the city rent, not the other way around.  Name another business in Jacksonville that has as much positive impact as the Jaguars

[blizz01]

Sooooo, how come the guy from the Philly News (is that really the Inquirer?) hasn't come out with an updated story and/or retraction?  Seems like there should be some accountability or responsibility to expound. I guess the intended audience (metro Philly) doesn't much care.

BTW, given all of today's drama from North Florida, the Jacksonville Jaguars have inched up to #8 on Yahoo's top searches for the day!!! WooooooHooooooo!  (Of course, Megan Fox is #1).