Category: TIAA Bank Field

Where does TIAA Bank Field stand in Touchdown Wire’s stadium rankings?

TIAA Bank Field was a state-of-the-art football complex when it opened in 1995, and though it’s pushing 30 years old, it underwent two major renovations in the last seven years.

Jacksonville has a reputation around the league for not being able to consistently fill its stadium, but it’s hard to argue the quality of the stadium is a reason for that. TIAA Bank Field was a state-of-the-art football complex when it opened in 1995, and though it’s pushing 30 years old, it underwent two major renovations in the last seven years.

But in 2021, only six NFL stadiums are older than the one the city of Jacksonville built for its expansion team, and two of them (Chicago’s Soldier Field and Green Bay’s Lambeau Field) are historic venues that have undergone significant renovation.

In his ranking of the stadiums around the league, Touchdown Wire’s Mark Lane places TIAA Bank at just 26th in the league, three spots above Nissan Stadium, the home of the division rival Tennessee Titans.

The home of the Jaguars is a little more cramped, which was still a design of the stadiums from the 1990s. Jacksonville fans do have a swimming pool and the weather in December and January isn’t wretched like it is up north. Florida man can enjoy a late-season NFL game.

The swimming pools were added as part of the 2014 renovation, alongside massive, record-setting video scoreboards. Still, it’s hard for the Jags’ aging venue to compete with some of the palaces being built today.

TIAA Bank Field cost $211 million to build, adjusting for inflation, while Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, New York’s MetLife Stadium, Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium, and Minnesota’s US Bank Stadium, all of which have opened since 2010, had price tags north of $1 billion. SoFi Stadium, which opened in Los Angeles in 2020, cost a whopping $5.5 billion to build.

The team has hinted that another major renovation could be in the works in the not-so-distant future, with it being rumored that the team is looking to the renovations Miami did to Hard Rock Stadium as a blueprint, such as adding the open-air canopy to provide all seats with shade.

If these changes come to fruition, Jacksonville’s spot on these rankings will almost certainly rise. But for now, all the work that has been put into the stadium still just isn’t quite enough to compare with the newer, elite venues in the league.

Jags planning to allow full attendance at stadium, no agreement for London games currently

The Jags only allowed fans to attend their stadium at a 25% capacity last season, but it looks like they will allow full crowds in 2021.

The Jacksonville Jaguars coaches and front office may be in the middle of the free agency frenzy that’s currently going on, but their ticket office has been equally as busy. After hosting crowds at a 25% capacity rate per game in 2020, the team announced that 2021 will involve a normal stadium experience as the Jags will host full crowds.

With the Jags’ full opening of the stadium will be a 7.2% price increase for season ticket renewals. The team also announced that they would still have payment plans and that general bowl season tickets would begin at a price as low as $41 per game.

The Jags also provided an update on their situation across the pond in London. Right now, there is no agreement between the NFL and Jaguars to have games in London as the league is still trying to figure out if they can play games overseas.

“The NFL has yet to determine the feasibility of the International Series restarting in 2021 after pausing in 2020 due to COVID-19,” a team spokesperson said. “The Jaguars currently do not have an agreement with the league to play an annual home game in London, as the team did from 2013 to 2019.  Should the Jaguars be asked to play a home game in London in 2021, season ticket members will receive appropriate account credit.”

The Jags initially had plans to play two games in London last season, but the coronavirus pandemic prevented them from playing in the United Kingdom entirely. Just last week coach Urban Meyer told the media that he thought it was possible the team would play one game in London, but admitted that he didn’t have anything concrete.

Additionally, the Jags could end up hosting a season finale game if the NFL moves to 17 regular season games. Last month, NBC Sports’ Peter King discussed the matter and said an additional regular season game for teams was highly likely. In that same report, it was revealed that those contests would be AFC vs. NFC matchups that would allow the AFC to be the home teams in 2021.

Poll: Would you be willing to help pay for TIAA Bank Field renovations if a roof is included?

Over the last few years, the Jacksonville Jaguars’ stadium has been a big topic of discussion with the organization and city officials. It has also been widely discussed by fans and the media, most recently in an article published in The Athletic …

Over the last few years, the Jacksonville Jaguars’ stadium has been a big topic of discussion with the organization and city officials. It has also been widely discussed by fans and the media, most recently in an article published in The Athletic that named it the second-worst stadium in a ranking compiled by the personal experiences of their writers. 

While debates around the state of the stadium have persisted for years one thing is clear: Shad Khan and company have their sights set on major renovations (defined as updates that equal $300 million or more), though it’s unclear when those renovations will be made. The Jags’ stadium is one of only two NFL stadiums that hasn’t had major renovations since it was constructed. The Buffalo Bills’ New Era Field is the other. 

Looking at the history of TIAA Bank Field and its renovations, taxpayers have often had to chip in with Khan, which is a trend we shouldn’t expect to change. However, fans seem to be lobbying for a roof instead of more flashy renovations, and with good reason — Jacksonville’s notoriously hot climate has at times turned dangerous for fans in attendance at Jags games. And enduring that heat adds insult to injury since the team has maintained a losing record for seven of eight full seasons that Khan has been owner.

Earlier this week, we mentioned renovations like the Miami Dolphins’ (in the ballpark of $500 million) as a solution for both the fans and organization. It not only included a makeover for the suites, concourses, general bowl and premium seating, it also came with a partial roof. Frankly speaking, any makeover that Khan wants shouldn’t come without a roof — and something that would benefit all attendees should certainly be considered if taxpayers are expected to foot some of the bill. 

With an estimated price of $300 million to $600 million (based off our own research), we’d like to ask for your thoughts. Are you okay with helping the Jags’ renovations of the future if those renovations come with a partial roof? Let us know in our poll below.

 

Jaguars plan to have a seating capacity of 25% for 2020 home games

The Jags will be allowing fans to attend games despite the state of florid being hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

Despite the state of Florida being hard hit by COVID-19, the Jacksonville Jaguars will be allowing fans to attend games — albeit on a very limited basis. On Friday, the team announced that it will have a seating capacity of 25% for the 2020 season at TIAA Bank Field after collaborating with local officials and the Centers for Disease Control for a plan.

“It was our sincere hope to welcome a capacity crowd to TIAA Bank Field this fall and celebrate together with the First Coast community. However, with the health and well-being of everyone in mind, the Jaguars anticipate reducing capacity this season,” the team’s public relations department said.

“In compliance with state and local authorities and following CDC social distancing guidelines, TIAA Bank Field will be able to seat approximately 25 percent of its capacity at each Jaguars home game in 2020.  Once the season begins, any future increase in capacity will depend on developments on the health and safety front.”

The team will be refunding 2020 season tickets as a result, or there is the option for fans to simply transfer their purchase toward season tickets in 2021. Additionally, cash refunds were made available and those on a payment plan had their July payments canceled.

With a 25% seating capacity, that would allow the stadium to have 16,791 fans in attendance for each home game as the stadium’s capacity is 64,000. This also will provide the organization with a way to reconfigure the stadium and allow spacing between the fans who attend.

As expected, the team announced that face coverings will be mandatory, while the vendors at the stadium will move to cashless transactions for most purchases. Also, more hand sanitizing stations and signage will be throughout the stadium to encourage social distancing.

As of now, the preseason has been reduced to just two games and all teams will just play their respective games for Week 2 and Week 3. That means the Jags will take a brief trip to the Tampa Bay Bucs for their first preseason game, while the Washington Redskins will come to Jacksonville for their second one.

Report: TIAA Bank Field being looked at to host RNC

TIAA Bank Field, the home facility of the Jacksonville Jaguars, is being considered as a potential venue for the Republican National Convention in August, according to the Washington Post . This report comes as several local clergy members and …

TIAA Bank Field, the home facility of the Jacksonville Jaguars, is being considered as a potential venue for the Republican National Convention in August, according to the Washington Post. This report comes as several local clergy members and healthcare professionals on the First Coast have shared their concerns about plans to host the convention, originally planned for VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, in recent days. According to the Washington Post report, officials are now weighing options for an outdoor venue.

Officials who are planning the event have also looked at nearby 121 Financial Ballpark where Jacksonville’s minor league baseball team, the Jumbo Shrimp, play. The venue is one that can hold 11,000 people, while TIAA Bank Field has a capacity of 64,000. VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena has a capacity of 15,000. 

TIAA Bank Field is owned by the Jacksonville City Council despite being the Jags’ home facility. As such, the team won’t have a say in the decision, which is expected to be made in the coming days. 

With COVID-19 still present in the U.S. and with the state of Florida seeing a recent surge in cases, considerations for an outdoor event seem aimed at mitigating the risk of spreading the virus, which to date has infected 3.17 million people nationwide and roughly 233,000 people statewide.

TIAA Bank Field named second-worst stadium in NFL

With stadium technology getting more advanced by the year, the NFL has long emphasized getting fans out of their homes and attending games instead. As a result, new state-of-the art stadiums have been popping up practically every year around the …

With stadium technology getting more advanced by the year, the NFL has long emphasized getting fans out of their homes and attending games instead. As a result, new state-of-the art stadiums have been popping up practically every year around the nation.

Still, there are some older stadiums that have managed to withstand the test of time due to upgrades and a good tradition like Lambeau Field and Arrowhead Stadium. Unfortunately, due to a mix of new stadiums being built, the lack of wins, and neglecting to make important upgrades, TIAA Bank Field is not among them. Many casual (and even some local) fans probably don’t consider it comparable to either of those iconic stadiums, as evidenced by the recent rankings of the five best and worst stadiums by the personal experiences of writers at The Athletic.

The venue unfortunately tallied the second-worst score in The Athletic’s survey with only FedEx Field ranking lower. Mercifully, only one voter placed TIAA Bank Field atop their list of the worst stadiums, according to writer Jon Machota, but it was mentioned in 18 ballots.

Former Jaguars reporter/current Chargers reporter Daniel Popper:

“Jaguars owner Shad Khan has attempted to spice up his team’s outdated home stadium in recent years. He added pool cabanas to the premium seating and spent more than $60 million on the world’s largest video boards, which cover nearly the entire east and west ends of the stadium. But the splashy purchases have done little to mask the deficiencies of this building. Fans brave enough to attend home games early in the season have to deal with absolutely blistering heat and sun in certain parts of the stands. The stadium hasn’t received a significant renovation (defined as in excess of $300 million) since it was erected in 1995 — something it desperately needs. During that span, the Bills are the only other NFL team to not either build a new stadium or conduct significant renovations. Until that happens in Jacksonville, The Bank will linger on the depths of lists such as these.”

The Jags’ stadium situation is one we discussed frequently on our former flagship podcast “The Jags Den Podcast.” While TIAA Bank Field certainly doesn’t belong that close to the bottom, when comparing it to other stadiums, it probably should be around the No. 25 range or just outside of it. 

One big reason the stadium is frequently ranked amongst the most unimpressive is because of the heat, as mentioned above by former Jags beat writer Daniel Popper. Add to that fact that most of the fan’s time in the sweltering heat has come with losses and you have a very undesirable stadium situation.

While having pools, cabanas and the world’s largest video screens are nice, none of those features are enjoyable without the standard amenity of cover, or at least a winning team. Without that, those features are essentially being used to draw in fans to watch a poor product.

In modern times, building a stadium with a permanent or retractable roof feels like the standard, but the Jags, who play in one of the NFL’s hottest climates, don’t even have a partial roof. Any fan who has suffered through a September regular season game at TIAA Bank Field would likely agree that it needs to change soon. 

An option we’ve discussed on our podcast in the past is a canopy like the one that was added onto Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, an area with similar weather. The roof, which covers a majority of the seats, was part of a more than $500 million makeover that took three years. Those same renovations helped the team to eventually host a Super Bowl earlier this year. 

Also, as Popper mentioned, other venues around the same age have surpassed the Jags because they are one of only two teams who haven’t made significant renovations (again, defined as in excess of $300 million). In hindsight, the argument could be made that the money used towards the video boards, pools, cabanas, and the other additions may have been better used towards major renovations like Miami’s. 

The Jags have already mentioned the major renovations that will be needed for TIAA Bank Field prior to this year. However, with the pandemic curbing plenty of activities around the league, discussions on what approach to take have halted. Hopefully, those discussions will resume once things return to normal.

Poll: Would you sign a COVID-19 liability waiver to attend Jags’ 2020 games if asked?

There will be a health risk involved with attending NFL games if fans are allowed, which means they could be asked to sign waivers. Would you?

By the time the NFL season begins, the league hopes to have at least some fans in each stadium. But having fans in attendance could come with some risks due to COVID-19, especially for those who live in Florida. According to the NPR, the state has seen a +227% change in cases over the last two weeks, representing the second-highest figure they’ve calculated. Only Idaho, which is a far less populated state, registered a higher change percentage of the states that were calculated (+258%).

While a plan hasn’t been set in stone, there have been talks of the league letting state government officials make the call on the number of fans who can attend (if any at all). According to The Athletic’s Dan Kaplan, the NFL is also considering an electronic waiver for attendees to sign to protect teams from potential legal action should fans become infected at an NFL game.

Additionally, Kaplan pointed out that event planners in the league could also look into cashless transactions, serving only prepackaged food, and requiring fans to wear masks. The league will also reportedly tarp off the first six to eight rows to protect the field personnel. With that, sponsors will get to advertise on the tarps, which could help teams recover some of the money they’ve lost during the offseason and preseason. 

It seems that even with the hurdles presented by the pandemic, the league wants to have fans in the stadium. If they do, we’d like to hear from the Jags fans at home about your plans. If the NFL allows fans in the stadiums, will you be attending and are you all willing to sign a waiver in the process? Let us know in the poll below.

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Report: Jags attendance levels could be left up to local authorities in 2020

With the state of Florida in Phase 2 of reopening from COVID-19, the Jags could be a team that allows more fans to attend games than others.

If there is a 2020 NFL season, the Jacksonville Jaguars could be at an advantage over other teams when it comes to home games. The reason for that is because the league could be leaning towards allowing local authorities to dictate how many fans can attend each home team’s games, per NFL insider Ian Rapoport.

“What it sounds like, from my understanding, the league is leaning towards right now, is to allow the local authorities to determine how many fans can be in the stands,” Rapoport said Wednesday. “If you’ve been following the coronavirus coverage. . . as far as health goes, the states and the circumstances in the states vary so greatly, it does make sense if the NFL lets local authorities determine this.”

The option of letting state and local officials control attendance is only under consideration at the moment. However, if it happens, it would then be on fans to decide if they would want to risk their health or not.

As many are aware, the state of Florida is currently in Phase 2 of reopening and has been since the first week of June. Under Phase 2, bars, pubs, bowling alleys, night clubs, movie theaters and other entertainment establishments are allowed to operate at 50% capacity. Restaurants are also allowed to be open for customers who want to dine-in with social distancing rules.

Since moving into Phase 2, Florida has been one of several states hard hit with a surge in COVID-19 cases. Per NPR, Florida’s cases have gone up by +205% compared to two weeks ago. Additionally, they’ve reported over 5,000 cases over the last two days.

Tony Khan delivers with an insanely entertaining AEW PPV event at TIAA Bank Field

Tony Khan and AEW hit their one-year mark and their anniversary pay-per-view (in Jacksonville) may have been the best so far.

In the wake of COVID-19, Tony Khan’s All Elite Wrestling has essentially set up shop at TIAA Bank Field for their most recent shows. That included the wrestling league’s top pay-per-view event, “Double or Nothing,” which was originally supposed to be held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Despite the roadblocks, Khan delivered a very entertaining pay-per-view in Jacksonville and a lot of fans feel it provided some of the top wrestling moments of the year — if not for quite some time. Among the best parts of the night was the exposure to the Jaguars’ facility and Khan’s ability to sprinkle some entertaining football elements into the event.

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A majority of the event was held at Daily’s Place where the card featured some solid matches. The first notable match was a “Casino Ladder Match” that featured top names in the industry like Brian “The Machine” Cage, Darby Allin, Joey Janela, Orange Cassidy, Scorpio Sky, and Frankie Kazarian (both of SCU), plus many more. We won’t spoil it (see results here), but just know that when there are ladders involved, high-flying action and brutality are pretty much guaranteed.

Some notable matches that followed included a battle between rising wrestling stars MJF and Jungle Boy and a battle to be the first-ever TNT Champion between Cody Rhodes and Lance Archer (featuring Mike Tyson ringside). The AEW men’s and women’s titles were also up for grabs in two brutal matches that featured Jon Moxley vs. Brodie Lee and Hikaru Shida vs. Nyla Rose.

Where the connection with Jaguars fans came into play was during the main event, which was a first-ever “Stadium Stampede” matchup between The Elite, their friend Matt Hardy and the Inner Circle. The match involved each respective wrestler brawling around the stadium and throwing down in all of the spots that Jags fans would be familiar with, including the field itself.

The match had it all from Adam Page chasing Sammy Guevara on a horse, to Page and Kenny Omega fighting Jake Hager in the east club bar. As we previously reported, Jaxson De Ville also made a cameo and was laid out by wrestling legend Chris Jericho in the process.

In a time where many are at home practicing social distancing, Khan delivered the world with some quality entertainment — and the presence of the Jags franchise during AEW’s highly anticipated event at the home of the team (and one of Duval’s most iconic landmarks) was definitely an added bonus.

Jaguars planning to reopen training facility on May 26

The Jags will be reopening their facility next Tuesday but their will be several limitations that come with it.

With the league giving all 32 teams the nod to open all of their facilities (if their local laws allow it), the Jacksonville Jaguars won’t be one of the teams jumping on the offer just yet. However, they will eventually get back to limited operations next week on Tuesday, May 26.

This comes after the NFL closed all of its facilities by March 25 due to the coronavirus pandemic, joining the rest of the sports world in terms of operations. However, they still were able to have the 2020 NFL Draft digitally to give fans some offseason content in what has been an unusual year.

Since, the Jags have been doing things digitally, too, having media conferences via Zoom. The team also started voluntary virtual workouts on April 27 and had all of their player to coach interactions through video conferencing.

Per Action Sports Jax’s Brent Martineau, the Jaguars will appoint head athletic trainer Scott Trulock as their infection control officer. The move is a result of the NFL forming an Infectious Response Team for all 32 teams.

To get things rolling, the IRT has implemented testing which requires staff members of the Jags to complete training exercise, fill out a questionnaire, and have temperature checks.

Also per Action News Jax, the team will be using several safety protocols within the facility including the addition of signage, education about respiratory etiquette and hand cleansing, floor markings within the facility to encourage social distancing, and they’ll evaluate a process for cleaning protocols.

When partial operations begin again, a maximum of 75 employees and no more than 50% of the Jags’ staff will be allowed at TIAA Bank Field at the same time.

Under the rules that are in place by the NFL, coaches aren’t permitted to be at the team’s facility until all 32 teams are given the nod to have coaches present. Players who aren’t rehabbing won’t be allowed at the facility either.