What Could Playing Multiple Home Games in London Mean for the Future of the Jaguars?

Where do the Jaguars go from here? Is London full-time on the horizon, or do they still have a home in Jacksonville?

The word "Duval" is plastered throughout Jacksonville, Florida. It is not only the name of the county in northeast Florida the Jaguars reside in, but it is a calling signal for its legion of fans. A frame of mind. A prideful five letters that means much more to its fanbase than nearly anything else. 

Duval is also found throughout the media of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Whether in the team's official Twitter page or in the video archive of the team's extensive multimedia projects. 

And in a cruel bit of irony, the Jaguars' United Kingdom Twitter account even used the phrase when it was announced Tuesday that the Jaguars would play back-to-back home games in London in 2020. Jacksonville will be the first NFL team to ever play two home games outside of the United States in one season, but the account still called upon Jacksonville as a form of identification.

We will be hosting two home games at @wembleystadium during the 2020 season. See below for more information ⬇️#DUUUVAL #NFLUK #NFL

— Jaguars UK and IE (@JaguarsUKandIE) February 4, 2020

The Jaguars' move to play 25% of home games at Wembley Stadium as opposed to TIAA Bank Field next season is an unprecedented decision and has obviously led to the question of where the Jaguars' future in Duval stands. 

No other team will be actively taking home games away from its base and taking them overseas instead, so naturally, the Jaguars have had to publically address the question of if London is the long-term destination for the franchise. Will they continue to go back and forth from Florida to England or eventually make a full-time departure overseas?

"For teams like the Jaguars, we are entering a period of significant change within the league. This has been precipitated by the move of the Oakland Raiders to Las Vegas into their new stadium, which will open this summer. The San Diego Chargers relocated to Los Angeles along with the St. Louis Rams relocated to Los Angeles," team president Mark Lamping said Tuesday. 

"For clubs like the Jaguars, we are entering an uncertain time. That uncertain time is related to three teams that, in the past, were teams that were with us at the bottom of the league in terms of revenue," Lamping continued. "They have taken steps that we would not consider, but they have 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." 

Lamping and owner Shad Khan have long had the public position that playing games in London, which Jacksonville has done annually since 2013, is to strengthen the team's foothold in Jacksonville. The team makes more money from games in London than it does in Jacksonville after all, and the revenue gained from playing in London could theoretically offset any revenue issues the Jaguars have in what is considered a smaller market.

But is the Jaguars' revenue in Jacksonville struggling enough to make this a solid argument? Khan bought the team for $770 million in 2012, and in 2019 it was valued at $2.325 billion, a 12% increase from the previous year. Since Khan has bought the team, the value of it has grown each year, even with the team's onfield issues (38-90 regular season record since Khan bought the team). 

In 2018, the Jaguars were 17th in average home game attendance with 66,674 fans per game, a year after being 21st in the NFL with 64,303. This is a jump from the team's previous losing seasons, in which the team was in the bottom third in attendance. In 2019, the Jaguars dropped to 22nd with 63,085 fans per home game. The attendance can also improve, but it isn't at the bottom of the league year in and year out. 

Some context on the #Jaguars playing two games in London: My understanding is it’s not a permanent scheduling strategy. It’s a bridge through a $700 million project Shad Khan is embarking on with the city to build up the area around TIAA Bank Field. Could be one year only.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 4, 2020

But still, the Jaguars' brass has remained steadfast in looking for ways to improve the team's financial standing as they work toward developments in Lot J in downtown Jacksonville and in other projects. Khan has already put about $70 million of his own money into TIAA Bank Field, a city-owned property. Once his projects come to fruition, will the Jaguars continue to go back and forth on Duval?

“I do not think there is any question that we will be in a much stronger position when Lot J opens up and then the Shipyards [project along the St. Johns River] to follow after that and many other things that we have not even thought about yet,” Lamping said Tuesday. “All of those things will make us stronger. I think it will put us in a position where we can take a step back and re-evaluate what role London could and should play for the city of Jacksonville and for the Jaguars. Whether that means continuing at that level, maybe fewer games.”

It remains to be seen what the future holds for the Jaguars. Publically, ownership says the future will be in Jacksonville and that, for now, two home games in London is strictly a measure for 2020. Plus, what the Jaguars do in London also hinges on what NFL league offices have to say on the matter (the team's contract to play in London ends after 2020).

All that is really known now is the Jaguars will play fewer home games in Jacksonville in the short-term. Whether this remains a short-term answer or a long-term plan will only be sorted out over time.