Jacksonville Jaguars: London looms in the future

The Jacksonville Jaguars and London have been linked for a while now and it has become a hallmark of the franchise since owner Shad Khan took over the team.

Khan wants the link to strengthen further, with a deal going through 2030.

In Khan’s words, “Hard to believe it’s over, the four-year deal now. But I think it’s a critical part of our franchise to be able to play games there, get the recognition, build the fan base and get sponsors.” He also said that the deal to play in London was the number one stabilizing factor for the franchise.

The AP story about the desire for a deal through 2030 notes that revenue from the game in London (billed as “home” game) accounts for 15% of the Jaguars’ local revenue. That seems to indicate that the London game is doing well generating a slightly disproportionate amount of money when compared to the other nine home games, though two of those 10 home games are preseason games.

For those who may be worried that the Jacksonville Jaguars could become the London Jaguars and play more games abroad and eventually move, stay calm. There’s no indication that is going to happen in the future for the Jaguars or for the NFL.

If the lack of firm commitments doesn’t keep your head from worrying, keep in mind that Khan is dumping another $30 million, mostly from his own pocket, in building a state of the art practice facility in Jacksonville for the Jags. Follow the money and we keep coming back to Khan and the Jaguars staying in Jacksonville.

A contract to play a game at Wembley Stadium (where Khan wants the Jaguars to continue playing) in London through 2030 would almost cement the Jaguars as the “home” team of the UK. While the team has not performed well in its London games so far, the exposure to a largely untapped audience will continue to build a stronger brand with broader appeal.

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