Jaguars to play consecutive home games in London next season

FILE - This Oct. 3, 2018 file photo shows a view of the exterior of Wembley Stadium in London. The Jacksonville Jaguars will play two home games in London next season, strengthening the franchise’s foothold in an overseas market the NFL is eager to expand. The Jaguars will play back-to-back games at historic Wembley Stadium, giving them a potential “home-field” advantage in the second one since they won’t have to travel that week. Specific dates were not announced.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)

The Jacksonville Jaguars have long-term plans in place to generate more revenue. They expect to break ground on an entertainment district adjacent to their aging stadium this spring 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 big-market 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 were not announced. Jacksonville protected home games against Pittsburgh and Chicago, 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. Jacksonville remains 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.

“I’m a big believer in you judge by actions and not just by words,” Khan said. “We’ve talked about possibly playing two games (in London). But we’re not the sole judge here or the decision-maker. I think it has to make sense for the league, which ultimately decides. But right now this is just about two games this season.”

The NFL is considering moving to a 17-game, regular-season schedule under the next collective bargaining agreement, a change that could help the Jaguars and other clubs play at varying venues without penalizing fan bases accustomed to attending the same number of games a year.

Jacksonville insists playing an extra game in London will help alleviate some financial concerns while “Lot J” is being developed. Khan is sharing the cost of the $700 million project in the main parking lot adjacent to the stadium.

The proposal calls for an entertainment district that includes restaurants, bars, luxury condominiums, an office tower and a five-star hotel. The renovated area could revive downtown Jacksonville and position the area to host “world-class events.” The shipyards are next on Khan’s to-do list, followed by a significant stadium renovation.

Khan has personally invested more than $100 million into making Jacksonville a more feasible NFL market.

“We need to continue to do more. We can’t do this overnight,” Lamping said. “These games in London will provide us with financial benefits during a much-needed time during the transition from where we are today until we open Lot J.