Stadium renovations could force Jaguars to play elsewhere for 2 years
The Jacksonville Jaguars could be on the move…at least temporarily. Jacksonville mayor Lenny Curry joined 1010XL radio on Wednesday and stated the Jaguars could be supplanted to a new location for a two-year period while TIAA Bank Field undergoes renovations, which he suggested could be during the 2025 and 2026 seasons. Curry noted that the […]
The Jacksonville Jaguars could be on the move…at least temporarily.
Jacksonville mayor Lenny Curry joined 1010XL radio on Wednesday and stated the Jaguars could be supplanted to a new location for a two-year period while TIAA Bank Field undergoes renovations, which he suggested could be during the 2025 and 2026 seasons.
Curry noted that the plan is for a renovation for TIAA Bank Field, noting that "when it's done, you will think you're in a brand-new stadium…. It will be a completely different stadium. It will be state of the art."
As far as where the Jaguars would play during any renovation, Curry stated, "I do know that they are considering certain sites that are local that could accommodate them for at least two years."
He also made reference to the Chargers' situation during the construction of SoFi Stadium, noting the "Chargers played in a very small stadium."
As far as practices, Curry opined that, "with new practice facilities, my guess would be that practices would happen here (Jacksonville). No decision has been made."
There is relatively recent precedent for existing teams to play in local alternative locations while stadiums were either being constructed or renovated. The Seattle Seahawks played their 2000 and 2001 seasons in Husky Stadium while Lumen Field was being constructed. The Saints split games between San Antonio and Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005. The Vikings played at the University of Minnesota while U.S. Bank Stadium was being built.
The question for the Jaguars is could they play anywhere in town? The answer is, unfortunately, no. The facilities at the University of North Florida and Jacksonville Universities are far too small. UNF's 9400-seat Hodges Stadium is roughly a third the capacity of Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA, which is where the Chargers played from 2017 to 2019.
There seem to be four sensible options. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on the campus of the University of Florida has a capacity of 88,548 and sits a mere 75 miles away. However, it remains to be seen if the school would play ball and offer asylum to the Jags. Same goes for UCF, whose "Bounce House" sits 141 miles away. Camping World Stadium in Orlando would seem to be a logical option, given the size and lack of a home fall football team.
Lastly, Doak Campbell Stadium is a 165-mile drive down I-10 from downtown Jacksonville, and while not the most proximate option of the group, it is a straight shot to drive to. Again, considerations from the university would have to be taken into account.
The scorched earth option would be in London, either at Tottenham Stadium and/or Wembley Stadium. There's no doubt the NFL would love to have a test run of a team in London for a full season. However, unless the league has yet figured out the complications of trans-Atlantic travel-related issues, that will likely not happen.
