By playing in London consecutive weeks, the Jaguars hope to increase local revenueGETTY IMAGES
The Jaguars will play consecutive home games at Wembley Stadium during the '20 season to make scheduling space for a $500M construction project adjacent to TIAA Bank Field, the first time an NFL team will play multiple foreign games in one year. Scheduling details are still to be determined, but the Jaguars said that the games in London would be on back-to-back Sundays, and it would not be against either the Steelers or the Bears, both home games reserved for Jacksonville. The other six potential opponents therefore are the Texans, Colts, Titans, Browns, Lions or Dolphins.Season-ticket prices will drop by 5% on a per-game average. That cut, along with the loss of another game to London, will mean a 15% reduction in the total package cost compared to '19. By reducing the regular-season game load for TIAA Bank Field by 25%, the Jags hope to speed work on the massive “Lot J” mixed-use development project. With partner Cordish Cos., the team has plans for an entertainment district, a 200-room hotel and 405 residential units (Ben Fischer, THE DAILY).
LOOKING TO ADD REVENUE: ESPN's Michael DiRocco reports the move to playing back-to-back games in London is an attempt by the Jaguars to "increase their local revenue and escape the bottom quartile of the league in that category." The Rams, Chargers and Raiders all are moving into new stadiums this season, leaving the Jaguars the feeling that an additional home game in London -- which "generates twice the money of a home game at TIAA Bank Field -- was the best way to offset the boost those teams will be receiving from those relocations and stabilize the long-term future of the franchise." Jaguars President Mark Lamping: "We are entering an uncertain time. That uncertain time is related to three teams that in the past were teams that were with us in the bottom of the league in terms of revenue. They have taken steps, steps that we would not consider, but they've taken steps to fix their revenue by leaving Oakland, by leaving St. Louis, and by leaving San Diego. That has had an impact in terms of all the other teams that are where we are in terms of the league" (ESPN.com, 2/4).
