Tag: nfl international

Mark Lamping says Jags’ most important priority is to bring a Super Bowl to Jacksonville

Jags president Mark Lamping joined Sirius XM Radio to explain Jags’ decision to play an additional game in London.

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ fanbase has been on edge the last few days after the team announced an additional 2020 game in London, and the fallout has made Jags president Mark Lamping a busy man this week. On Thursday, Lamping went on air with SiriusXM NFL Radio to explain the reasoning behind the organization’s decision on a national stage and to reiterate what Jags fans have frequently been told: the team will remain in Jacksonville.  

“Shad Khan’s been very clear,” Lamping said about the team’s owner to SiriusXM NFL Radio. “The most important thing he wants to do is bring a Super Bowl to Duval County, and obviously we have a lot of work to do on that front. But the other thing he wants to do is ensure that there’s NFL football in Northeast Florida for many generations to come.”

Lamping continued to mention the Lot J project, which has been in the works for many years and is nearing a point of a funding and construction agreement according to him. He said that the project will basically be “Patriot Place on Steroids,” and that it would be another unique stream of revenue to help both the Jacksonville community and the Jags. 

Even with the city and team working on its own localized version of Patriots Place, fans have expressed that they don’t think another game in London is the answer for the team’s revenue problem. Instead, they’ve argued that a team that can win consistently would be the answer, something Lamping seems to disagree with. 

Until Lot J can get done, it appears that Khan and Lamping feel trips to London are the best supplement for revenue. However, even if Lot J thrives, some fans have concerns over whether it would be enough to prevent a two-game commitment to London in Khan’s eyes — or more games being played there in the future. 

Arthur Blank thinks Falcons will play Broncos in London this fall

The Falcons are expected to play against the Broncos in London, England during the 2020 NFL season.

In an interview with United Kingdom-based talkSPORT at NFL Honors on Saturday, Falcons owner Arthur Blank told Oliver Wilson that he thinks his team will face the Broncos in London, England next season.

“I really couldn’t be happier that we’re going back,” Blank said. “We had a weird ending to the last game [in London] — we lost on the last play of the last game against the Lions but we’re still looking forward to coming back.

“I think we’re playing against the Broncos — I think, from what I’ve heard — but I’m not sure. So we’ll see. We’re excited about it.”

Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis has been campaigning for an international game and he made it clear during his end-of-season press conference last December that his team wants to play in England.

“I’m basically begging to get it because I think it’d be very good for us to play there,” Ellis said, adding that the contest would be played Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Denver last played in London in 2010, a 24-16 loss to the 49ers. The NFL will announce its 2020 international schedule later this offseason.

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Broncos might play Falcons in London in 2020

Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis wants his team to play the Falcons in London during the 2020 NFL season.

If Denver Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis has his way, the team will face the Atlanta Falcons at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England during the 2020 NFL season.

The Falcons are scheduled to have a “home” international game and Denver is scheduled to play an away game against Atlanta next season. Ellis, who has been campaigning for an international game for years, wants that game to be played in England.

“I haven’t heard anything from the league other than I’ve pestered and begged them,” Ellis said Monday. “I think it’d be really good for us to go there. I put in a personal request to [Falcons owner] Arthur Blank and he came up to me in the last league meeting and was supportive.”

The Broncos last played in London in 2010 against the San Francisco 49ers. Denver lost that game 24-16 but it was good exposure for the team.

“The league has to do what’s best for them in terms of their international strategy,” Ellis said, “but I think it would be good for the franchise, good for the organization . . . . I’m basically begging to get it because I think it’d be very good for us to play there.”

Last year, the NFL announced its international games for the 2019 season in late January. The league will likely announce its 2020 international games at a similar time this year, so Ellis should have an answer in the coming weeks.

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