Jags to play back-to-back London games in ’20
The Jaguars have long-term plans in place to generate more revenue. They expect to break ground in the spring on an entertainment district adjacent to their aging stadium and eventually hope to develop the shipyards along the St. Johns River.
Both are years from completion.
In the meantime, the Jaguars have found a short-term solution: another home game in London.
Jacksonville announced Tuesday it has reached an agreement with the NFL to play consecutive home games at Wembley Stadium next season, doubling the franchise’s overseas income and potentially strengthening its foothold in a market the NFL wants to expand.
Fan reaction surely will be mixed, at best. “My expectation is that it should be very positive,” said owner Shad Khan, adding that he doesn’t believe playing two games abroad puts his team at a competitive disadvantage. “Everything we’re doing helps the city, helps us. And that’s what you need a small-market team to do to get on competitive footing with ... all the bigmarket teams.”
The Jaguars will play back-to-back games at Wembley to bolster revenue during “a period of significant change within the league,” team President Mark Lamping said. Dates and opponents weren’t announced. The Jaguars protected home games against the Steelers and Bears, so those teams will play at TIAA Bank Field.
Lamping said the recent relocation of the Chargers, Raiders and Rams will move all three out of the NFL’s bottom fourth in local revenue. The Jaguars remain there, searching for ways out.
“Makes our path here exiting the bottom quartile of the league more challenging, but we believe achievable,” Lamping said.
The Jaguars have played a “home game” at Wembley every year since 2013 and is under contract to do so through 2020. Khan and Lamping expect to extend the contract. It’s unclear whether the next deal will include two games annually abroad.
In other Jaguars news, the team hired former 49ers general manager Trent Baalke as their director of player personnel.
Baalke replaces Chris Polian, who was fired last month after seven seasons.
Baalke spent the last three years working for the NFL as a football operations consultant. Before that, he spent 12 seasons with the 49ers (2005-16), including the final six as GM.
Big money on Super Bowl: Gamblers in Nevada wagered $154.7 million on this year’s Super Bowl, an increase from last year but still below the high set in 2018.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board released its Super Bowl betting figures Tuesday, a day later than expected, because of technical difficulties with one of its licensees collecting and reporting data.
The Nevada totals were the highest in the nation, where 14 states now offer legal sports betting. The 190 sports books there won nearly $18.8 million, for a hold percentage of 12.1%.
The amount wagered in Nevada represented an increase from last year’s $145.9 million, but it still trailed the $158.5 million that was bet on the 2018 Super Bowl.