There is a battle going on between the creator of billions of dollars of wealth and a running back whose window may be closing in the coming seasons.  That battle will be played out on the national stage even if the final outcome (a Khan victory) is already written on the wall.  This situation is a fly compared to the other things that Khan has to worry about – largely the marketing of the Jaguars to Jacksonville, Florida, the greater Nation, and (now) London.  It’s about making the Jaguars the hottest ticket in the league and to be honest, I think that Khan is the man to do that.

Maurice Jones-Drew may as well be Maurice Jones-Who? to Khan.

So when Khan says that the MJD situation doesn’t even move the needle for his stress, he means it.  Even if Rashad Jennings and the rest of the stable of running backs (10+ yards per carry is pretty nice, Keith Toston!) weren’t putting up huge numbers, there’s no way that Khan moves from his position.  He knows he has a marketable product, even with MJD holding out.  All press is good press, is it not?

MJD is giving Khan what he wants whether he returns to the team or not: exposure.

Before Blaine Gabbert was showing that this offseason was more than just baby steps, MJD was garnering headlines for the Jaguars.  The star was the main draw, the primary focus, and the premier attraction for the least popular team in the league.  He single-handedly took a transitional situation for a 5-11 team and put it at the forefront of every NFL fan’s mind.  The MJD trade for Mike Wallace thought was disseminated well before MJD asked for a trade.  Just the contemplation of Jones-Drew in another uniform makes national headlines for the Jaguars (and the Jets apparently).  Just MJD sitting out was enough for the Jaguars to become a lighting rod of criticism, resentment, attention, and discussion.  Can you imagine if they start to win in the regular season without him?

I don't care how much money you make, does this look like the face of a man you want to go toe-to-toe with? Source: Jake Roth-US PRESSWIRE

Khan has thought about it, and I guarantee that he doesn’t care if they win without him or not.  Either way his level of stress is unaffected by MJD and more affected by which direction the team is taking…and right now the team is trending upward.  MJD brings a 44% chance of winning when he’s carrying the ball – for a man that built an empire he wants a much greater chance of success.  Jones-Drew is well known for his ability to put the team on his shoulders, much like Atlas (seriously, it’s a thing), but Khan doesn’t care.  Besides, why use one person when players like Jennings, Daryl Smith, Blaine Gabbert, Justin Blackmon, and Tyson Alualu all seem perfectly capable of lifting the load together.

This isn’t about star power.  This isn’t about performance.  This is about marketing the Jaguars.  And thus far, Shahid Khan has played it perfectly.  With MJD, the Jags have a superstar.  Without MJD, the Jags have a superstar making headlines anyway.  For all Khan cares, MJD can rot away at home while wasting his final money making years and being fined by the team.  Jones-Drew doesn’t have to be with the team for the team to make money (and headlines) without him.

Slowly the fans level of stress over the lack of MJD will be at an all-time low.  And when that happens, no amount of trade talks will cause their needle to waver either.

- Luke N. Sims

Feel free to leave comments on here or visit us at Facebook or Twitter!

You can also find me on Twitter @LukeNSims

Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan pledges to make a ticket to Everbank the hottest ticket in the NFL. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-US PRESSWIRE

Anything the Jaguars do these days is sure to be met with the jabbering of the peanut gallery. Today, the franchise confirmed that they will be playing four “home” games in London during the 2013-2016 seasons. New owner Shad Khan has expressed his interest in pioneering new marketing strategies for the Jaguars and has already begun this venture by hiring Mark Lamping for the role of team president in an effort to grow the franchise’s regional brand throughout north Florida and south Georgia, due to his success in achieving a similar effort for the St. Louis Cardinals while serving as their team president for more than 13 years. Khan also expressed in his first public address as team owner his interest in building the Jaguars’ international brand by offering to play “home” games abroad and his press conference today confirmed that he and NFL Czar Roger Goodell have agreed to do so. Some people are intrigued, while some think this can only bring more harm than good. The truth is that this shrewd business decision is not a maneuver aimed at the short-term, but a low-risk, high-upside gamble that seeks to parlay the Jaguars clandestine momentum of the last few years into an explosive worldwide coming out party that will cement our home in Jacksonville and force audiences domestic and abroad to rethink their perception of the Jaguars franchise.

(more…)

The overcast skies of the United Kingdom hide the sun’s rays trying to pierce through onto the earth below.  Men and women pull jackets and coats tighter around them as fall precedes winter.  Inside, the inhabitants of London and the surrounding area flick through the channels, waiting out the boredom of a Sunday afternoon.  Idly, a man stays upon the black and teal Jaguar head broadcast on a local channel.  The home team of London is on the tube – the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Outside you can hear the roar of the crowd far from the stadium.  The lights pierce through the otherwise dreary day and one can hear the muffled announcements as the Jaguars move onto the field, the home team in their annual London game.  No longer do the fans look through programs and cell phones to match numbers with names, instead they cheer as their favorites run through the tunnel onto the field.  This is the greeting of fans who adore their players, not fans testing an American phenomena.

The Jaguars are more than just the home team here, they are a sensation, a break from the norm.  The football is a far departure from the standard fare that dominates Europe.  Where there once was David Beckham, there is now Blaine Gabbert.  Once a year he isn’t just that guy throwing a weird shaped ball through the air, he is their quarterback, their leader.  The crowd screams when number 11 comes out, helmet reflecting the lights and adoration from the assembled fans.

This overcast day isn’t a day of depression or of gloom, it is a day of delight – for today the Jaguars are back in town.  Who needs the sun when the stadium lights and electrifying play of the Jaguars can brighten up everything around them?  The crowd is a swell of support for the Black and Teal.  This is more than just an annual tradition, this is a religion.

Back inside, the man who idly flipped through channels is sitting up watching intently as the ball is moved up the field.  He didn’t know the game before, but with each down he becomes more entranced by what the NFL has to offer.  Often overlooked by most people in London, the occasional convert can be born anywhere at any time.  By the end he’s fist pumping and calling his wife over to watch the Jaguars demolish the visiting team.

Outside the stadium, the people with their jackets pulled tight are brought closer by the commotion.  They are intrigued and can’t help but show their curiosity on their faces.  A local bar is a good spot to post up for the duration of the game.  Once in, the atmosphere immediately lights up and the group gathered around the tables watching the Jags is loud, rowdy, and cheering right along with the roar of the stadium next door.  The drinks flow and the atmosphere grows, quickly outshining the gloom outside.

Whether it is the man on his couch flipping through the stations, the fan in the stadium, or the pedestrian stopping in to watch the game, the Jags are at the heart of it; bringing together a community in a way that only football can.

It isn’t always dreary in London – and it never is when the Jags come to town.

Undoubtedly, this is the picture that Shahid Khan and the NFL want to create as they market the Jaguars and American Football overseas.  Khan wants to make the Jaguars an international draw – the next step is getting the team there.  Before we know it (2013-2016), Gabbert and company may just be the draw in London that they will be in Jacksonville.

- Luke N. Sims

Feel free to leave comments on here or visit us at Facebook or Twitter!

You can also find me on Twitter @LukeNSims