Team Teal serious about keeping their Jaguars

This is one of those stories that really makes me smile. Sure I have drawn the ire of Team Teal (the group that is working their butts off to keep the Jaguars in Jacksonville), and given the news that they have sold out their second home game of the young 2010 NFL season is proof that their plan is working. Hopefully they can help the team sell enough tickets not only in 2010, but in the future as well to keep their team. As a sports fan that lives in a city that has lost a number of pro teams (although none of the big four) I take no pleasure in seeing a fan base lose their team.

With that being said it is my job (not only on this site by in my role as a sports business writer) to examine what is going on with every pro franchise. Last season the Jaguars ranked 30th in overall home attendance beating just the Oakland Raiders and the Detroit Lions. Those are two historically bad franchises right now, and it simply gives Wayne Weaver no incentive to keep the Jags in town when a brand new state of the art stadium is being built in Los Angeles.

While I may question Team Teal’s tactics, attacking sports writers with particular venom, their dedication to their team proves this fan base has something that many NFL cities do not. That is passion, and passion cannot be faked, and it usually leads to a successful NFL operation in cities across the nation.

At 1-1 with a showdown against Michael Vick’s Philadelphia Eagles some may say this was an easy sell. However in today’s economy I don’t think there are any easy sells. Jacksonville has proven to be a great sports town in the past with other football leagues, and as a one time resident of that fair city I sincerly hope this jump in ticket sales keeps the Jaguars where they belong.