Are the Jags leaving Jax? (Jacksonville: appointed, for sale, buying)

[Trusses]

Lack of attendance and on and off the field problems may suggest so... what'd you think?

As a FL native and big Jags fan, I'd be disappointed.


The most at-risk sports teams - MSN Money

[fsquid]

I think as long as LA doesn't have a team, there will always be a chance.

[Trusses]

^^^ LOL, that is where the article predicts they could be going actually. I hope they stay put, and they may.

[Metalmilitia]

There have been rumors about the Jags leaving for a while now, at least 3 years or so. Jacksonville isn't really a "large market" and honestly, most of the "fans" don't really care about the team. Add that to horribly ugly uniforms/colors (sorry to any real Jags fans) and inconsistent play, there will always be more rumors. If I am not mistaken, the owner announced last year that there are no plans to sell the team, or to relocate them. It is the offseason for the NFL, so a lot of reporters just make a story up to create an article. No need to worry right now.

[Keith-n-Jax]

You dont have to say sorry because you dont like the Jags uniforms. Doesnt matter what you think or the critics. As long as the Jags stay here and win. Who cares what naysayers say.

[joninclay]

Jax is a big college football city. College football has priority over the NFL here, and if people with more limited financial means have to choose to spend their money on one OR the other, the Jags lose out.

Having said that, Jags fans are fair weather fans, and as much as I hate to admit it, I'm one of them (no sense lying about it, right?). When they stink, I don't want to spend that kind of money to watch them stink. Plus, we got spoiled with the franchise's early success, since people expected the expansion team to struggle for a few years. When they got to the AFC title game in year two, expectations changed overnight.

When they went into the tank from 2000 - 2004, the interest waned. We got excited in 2005 and then in 2007 when the team looked to be progressing, but last year the expectations were high...and the results were disastrous. That experience will keep a lot of "fans" away this season unless/until the team starts winning. It's sad, but that's the way it is.

BTW, it's a near certainty that IF the team relocated, L.A. would be the choice. The 2nd biggest TV market in America has no team right now, and the NFL would love to get one there. The owner of the Rams died recently, and the team is for sale, but I haven't heard if they plan on keeping the team in St. Louis or not. If they return to LA, the pressure would subside somewhat.

Smaller market teams like Kansas City and Green Bay will always fare well with the fans because, aside from rich history and tradition, there aren't really any competing teams locally that could divide loyalty. If the Packers or Chiefs stink, the fans have no other bandwagon on which to jump. Here, there have been the Gators and Noles over the last 15 years to help out when the Jags have struggled.

I would definitely hate to see the Jags go, and despite my admission of being a fair-weather fan, I do like the fact that Jax has an NFL team. But Wayne Weaver has a business to run, and if he's not making money here, he's got to go where he will make money. I would be devastated, but I'd have no one to blame but myself.

[projectmaximus]

I believe that Wayne Weaver has no desire at all to ever move this team.

But when he gets too old to run the franchise, he probably will have no choice but to sell the team to someone who wont want to keep the Jags in Jax, since his kids apparently have no interest in taking over. Weaver has said that he'd like to hand it over to someone equally committed to the region, but i think given no other options, the sale of the franchise would inevitably be the first step to a quick relocation.

Before that time comes, hopefully:
1) the Jags' ticket-buying fan base will grow as the kids who grew up rooting for the Jags become adults/professionals.
AND
2) the Jax metro continues its high growth rate to keep pace with other competing markets.

and either:
1) another team moves/expands to LA.
OR
2) some uber-rich investor with a strong link to Jax decides to carry on Weaver's torch.

I'm optimistic things will work out and that the Jags will be in Jax forever. But thats my take on the situation happen.

[Northside904]

There have been rumors about the Jags leaving for a while now, at least 3 years or so. Jacksonville isn't really a "large market" and honestly, most of the "fans" don't really care about the team. Add that to horribly ugly uniforms/colors (sorry to any real Jags fans) and inconsistent play, there will always be more rumors

Honestly, I don't think Jacksonvillians would care if the Jags left. The team can't even fill Alltel and on top of that, they get little to no support from the city.

[Keith-n-Jax]

What a bias statement. If we had less residents like this we wouldnt have a problem. JMS is more built for a college team than NFL team. I have been to many games so dont tell me people wouldnt care if they left.

[Keith-n-Jax]

To go with what you dont know, JMS hasnt been called Alltel for a while now.