The Jacksonville Jaguars announced that they would be having two home games in London in 2020 Tuesday, which is an NFL first. While it’s a historic move for the NFL landscape, local fans clearly aren’t happy about the move. Ultimately, they are the ones who will have another home game taken from them and have taken to Twitter to vent their frustrations alongside with some members of the media.
Here are just a few of the reactions we’ve seen so far:
A completely tone deaf & money driven move that alienates the fanbase even more so than it already is. Shad Khan has proven time & time again that he does not care about the fans & is only concerned with his bottom line. Sell. The. Team.
— 🇵🇠Lυƙα Sƙყɯαʅƙҽɾ 🇵🇠(@PhiltheFilipino) February 4, 2020
Not happy about it. I dont understand how it helps the organization on the home front but I'm not a businessman. He clearly is. But does he know football? Does he know the fan pulse? Debatable.
— #PayYann (@Tgoodrich89) February 4, 2020
is there much of a pulse left in the fans in its current state? less than 90% attendance averaged at the bank this year, lowest it’s been since he bought the team in 2012
— will (@willfrost_) February 4, 2020
I don't think it's a stretch to say that winning isn't a goal in JAX right now
— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) February 4, 2020
Shad Khan. He can sell the heck out of some car bumpers….but doesn't know jack about owning an NFL team. #sellthejaguarsshad
— Brian Jessee (@CreditManagerSC) February 4, 2020
— NEZ4life (@cbass904) February 4, 2020
gonna RT this video every time someone questions the fans of the jaguars.
winning solves your "financial" issues. that's it. that's the secret sauce you're looking for.
not more london games. or pools. or pet parks.
W-I-N-N-I-N-G https://t.co/c95Y3uXn8w
— Blythe Brumleve (@blythebrum) February 4, 2020
Reminder: Shad Khan is expected to ask taxpayers for at least $200 million in cash to build a development next to the stadium.
— Christopher Hong (@ChrisHongTU) February 4, 2020
https://twitter.com/_tonycabrera/status/1224747713495019520?s=21
Yea ok buddy by moving 2 home games out of Jacksonville and to London, helps how exactly? https://t.co/YUNOx2IdID
— Aaron (@Aaroncabrera_) February 4, 2020
How do you try to generate more fans if you’re the Jacksonville Jaguars? You leave the country to play in London for back to back home games! The @Jaguars appear to be helping the NFL more than their fans. So much for lowering ticket prices. #Jaguars
— Linda Cohn (@lindacohn) February 4, 2020
I didn't say I agree with playing two games in London. It's not fair to the young, passionate fan base. If the team were good, the stadium would be full. The product has been bad, aside from the aberration season in 2017
— Pete Prisco (@PriscoCBS) February 4, 2020
Between the NFLPA statement and having to live in London for two weeks… good luck signing free agents.
— Dilla (@E_Dilla) February 4, 2020
Shad Khan is clearly out of floriculture with the fan base, considering he expected a positive reaction to the news. BUT I do believe that many fans are being short sited and irrational on a number of topics. I get being mad about two home games being gone but …
— Jordan de Lugo (@jordandelugo) February 4, 2020
Obviously, it was hard to find positive reactions because fans feel another home game isn’t necessary as the Jags’ net worth has increased drastically since Shad Khan purchased the team. Last year, their figure increased from $1.95 billion to $2.075 billion, but in a league where the league is always trying to make bigger profits, it appears Khan wants to keep pace with his owner comrades. However, for a small market team, that may not be a goal worth chasing.
Another issue fans have with the move is the fact that Shad Khan hasn’t done his part in terms of winning consistently. He’s had just one winning season out of eight with a 38-90 record overall. With such terrible figures, fans and the city haven’t been given a fair chance to show the revenue they could generate over a decent period of time and a strong case could be made that they deserve that opportunity.
Ultimately, that opportunity will have to wait for at least a year as Khan has signed off on an additional home game in London for the upcoming season.