Quote:There was a time several years ago when these articles were at least tinged with a bit of potential fact.  The problem is the labels created at that time stuck, and as the reality moved further and further from the labels that were applied when there really were issues, the less the media paid attention.  The end result is that there are still many in the media, including the references in this thread, where extremely stale data is being applied to try to connect something that isn't happening to a franchise that isn't moving.

 

The reason NFL games in London have proven to be popular and profitable is because they're a novelty.  The Jaguars captured a unique opportunity by jumping into the London fray to have one home game a year there, and then negotiating with the league so that the team could build a presence there that would allow them to expand the fan base.   It was a brilliant bit of business strategy by a pretty savvy owner and his business associates.  They found a way to increase revenues significantly by reaching out to a significantly larger market while maintaining a footprint in Jacksonville. 

 

Someone mentioned earlier in this thread something that I've referenced a few times in the past.  I think Khan is committed to making it work here in Jacksonville, and I did not think that was the case when he initially bought the team.  Shad Khan is the ultimate underdog done good story.  He's truly the epitome of the American dream where you come to this country with aspirations, work your tail off, maybe enjoy a little bit of luck, and at the end of the day, you're a success story.  Going from near poverty to becoming a billionaire is a story that very few can claim, but he has lived the life of the underdog.  I think he sees this community sort of as a version of his story.  The little town that everyone dismisses.  We scratched and clawed our way up the ladder and actually earned an NFL franchise.  We've seen success and failure, and we've seen this team struggle mightily.  I think he bought into that story line and wanted to lead us to the next level not only as an NFL franchise, but as a city as well. 

 

We're a small market community by NFL standards, but I think much of what he does for this franchise and this city is done with the intention of eradicating the "small" from our market.  All of the business dealings that take place in London year after year when the Jaguars come to town are starting to reap rewards for the city, and we're seeing that from an economic standpoint.  We're also one of the fastest growing markets in the country right now.  No, that's not all because of Khan, but it certainly helps that he's an advocate for the city who has a global presence. 

 

I believe his intention is not only to squash the notion that this city is too small to support an NFL franchise, but to give us a much higher stature globally;  He's using every tool at his disposal to make that happen, including the London games.  I don't think he wants to move the team to London.  I think he's simply leveraging this relationship they're cultivating to take Jacksonville from some forgotten metro area you stop in for gas on your way to Disney or south Florida into something a tad more global.. 

 

This city has had some visionaries over the years who brought us from Cowford to a city that won an NFL franchise, but that's where they ran out of creativity.  I talked to someone a year or so ago who has been around Khan quite a bit as he's pitching for the city, and the one thing that Khan said about all of the wealthy and powerful people in this city is that they lack the big picture vision that is necessary to take this community to the next level.  He recognized this when he started getting more involved as the owner of the franchise, and decided to do his part to help the city find a vision that extended beyond the county line.  Khan is a unique individual who has the vision and resources to help this city grow up and compete with the big boys.  I think it's his willingness to honor Weaver's request to keep the team in the city that brought him to the point where he figured the best way to assure that's the case is to transform Jacksonville.  There will be those who will fight this kicking and screaming because they miss the good old podunk days, but for the majority, they want to see the city shed its hayseed image. 

 

The big picture Shad speaks of is easy for me to see, when this team starts winning on the field, it will (first) give the necessary exposure and credibility this city/team desperately needs. Packing the stadium is obviously good for the local economy, with all the influx of people pouring in, there will be an opportunity for investors to capitalize in a variety of different ways. If you're a wealthy capitalist who understands the economic impact of a winning NFL franchise, then it's easy to fall in love with whats going on in Jacksonville. The city is unique in so many different ways, but being that its uniquely perched between the St Johns River and Atlantic Ocean make it a potential "destination" city, with all kinds needs for hotels/condo's/restaurants/shops etc...., again all of this is contingent on the team winning, and it's close to winning... at least from a talent standpoint. I live in Minneapolis, a city that has has a ton of investor dollars pour in over the past 10 years (a lot of that is due to the amount of fortune 500 companies here), but a lot that also has to do with the success of the Vikings and their outlook moving forward. The impact this has had on the city is profound, if you bought a condo near the stadium 5 years ago you're a very happy person today, I think Jacksonville is in a similar situation but with much more upside due to its geographic location. I'm willing to bet this city would easily generate another $1.5-$2B in additional annual revenue once this team starts winning consistently, this is the "big picture" Shad is speaking of. If you're a venture capitalist you better be listening, if people (especially young educated people) start flocking and relocating to the city of Jacksonville, you'll start to see some mega corporations flock there as well. The corporations (all things being equally considered) follow the young talent, ok thats enough ranting from me today

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