Jacksonville being sold to new owner

[Stemp]

I bet the new owner starts listening to the LA offers once he's approved.....

BTW, is this the first non-white owner in NFL?

Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver announced Tuesday that coach Jack Del Rio has been fired and that he is selling the team to businessman Shahid Khan, who will keep the team in Jacksonville.

Defensive coordinator Mel Tucker will coach Jacksonville on an interim basis and has been told he will get a chance to interview for the full-time job, Weaver said.

Also, general manager Gene Smith received a three-year extension, Weaver said.

The Jaguars are 3-8 heading into a Monday night game against the San Diego Chargers.

On the ownership side, Weaver said Khan plans to buy a home in Jacksonville. Khan, who lives in Illinois, was born in Pakistan in 1950 and moved to the United States when he was 16. The sale must be approved by the NFL's 32 owners.

"He's going to buy a home here in Jacksonville. He's going to spend time here in Jacksonville," Weaver said of Khan. "He's going to keep the Jaguars management group intact. He's keeping the Jaguars staff intact. He has a great admiration for what we've been able to accomplish here and the way we run our business here so he's keeping all that intact."

Khan will formally meet with the media and the Jaguars staff before Jacksonville's Monday night game against the San Diego Chargers. The sale of the team will not be finalized until Jan. 4 following a league vote on the sale which Weaver said he expects will be passed unanimously.

"This is going to be a team that is going to be in Jacksonville many years into the future," Weaver said. "It's going to see my grandson grow up as a Jaguars fan and many other kids as well. My dream is to see this team be successful in Jacksonville and I found an owner who has that commitment and has that passion."

While Weaver is confident Khan will keep the team in Jacksonville, there is nothing written in the deal which obligates Khan to do that. Weaver's confidence stems from assurances Khan has made to him personally and the fact that the Jaguars' lease to play at EverBank Field runs through the 2029 season. If the Jaguars wanted to leave before the end of the deal, the lease requires the team to prove they had lost money in three consecutive seasons or to convince a local judge that the city was failing to properly maintain the stadium.

"It's pretty hard to put something in writing saying you have to do something but you have to trust individuals' integrity and I have no doubt that Shahid is going to do what he plans to do," Weaver said. "I had to be comfortable that his plan was to keep the team in Jacksonville. There's not a doubt in my mind that this team will be in Jacksonville."

"I have enough confidence in my trust in human nature in people I've gotten to know over a long period of time, that when they tell you something, you can depend on it. It's hard to write something that forces somebody to say you're going to keep the team here. The only reason I would have ever moved the team is if I couldn't make it sustain itself here and we've been able to do that and there's no reason Shahid won't be able to do that."

Weaver admitted that he was approached by the Los Angeles groups trying to acquire a team for their proposed stadiums but refused to engage in talks because he wanted the team to remain in Jacksonville.

"I've had calls from California that I refused to take because it was wasting their time and my time and they knew it," Weaver said. "People I would run into at meetings would ask about California and I would just say we have no interest. We're a Jacksonville franchise and we plan to stay a Jacksonville franchise."

Khan, who is the owner of the automobile parts manufacturer Flex-N-Gate, which Forbes says has an annual revenue of $2.57 billion, released the following statement after Weaver's press conference.

"I am honored to have recently signed an agreement with Wayne Weaver and his partners to purchase the Jacksonville Jaguars," Khan said. "I have known Wayne for some time and have long admired his spirit, which nearly 20 years ago -- against all odds -- helped make the Jaguars and the National Football League a reality for Jacksonville and North Florida. Wayne's legacy will be lasting, and I will always be grateful for Wayne's trust and confidence in my commitment to the Jaguars, the NFL and the people of the Jacksonville community."

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/72...-rio-sell-team

[Playoffs]

[IDEXAN]

Originally Posted by Stemp

BTW, is this the first non-white owner in NFL?

He's a Pakistani-American, which usually means one is caucasian. So you tell me, are there non-white caucasians ? Now he probably is the first Muslim NFL owner, which I think is pretty cool.

[FirstTexansFan]

Originally Posted by asleep

Looks like Geraldo Rivera to me...

[Double Barrel]

Originally Posted by asleep

Dude, that's a freakin' worthy man-stash right there. Very impressive.

[Stemp]

Originally Posted by IDEXAN

He's a Pakistani-American, which usually means one is caucasian. So you tell me, are there non-white caucasians ? Now he probably is the first Muslim NFL owner, which I think is pretty cool.

I believe his heritage is 100% pakistani and he is a naturalized citizen, having moved here when he was 16. I don't consider middle eastern lineage to be white anymore than I consider mexican or central/south american lineage to be white.

[GP]

The guy is saying all the right things, to get the franchise.

Weaver is "hoping" that the new owner keeps the franchise in Jax...but Weaver left himself an out when he said (in the story) "...It's hard to write something that forces somebody to say you're going to keep the team here. The only reason I would have ever moved the team is if I couldn't make it sustain itself here and we've been able to do that and there's no reason Shahid won't be able to do that."

Point blank: New owner will move the team to L.A. because he will see that it's not viable to try and survive in the NFL in a town like Jacksonville that isn't going anywhere. L.A. has the populace and history.

Mootini needs to save his trash talking for now...because he's got bigger fish to fry than to squabble with us about anything. He's going to be white-knuckling the very real possibility of waving bye-bye to the JACKSONVILLE Jaguars.

[Dutchrudder]

This sounds absolutely stupid on Weaver's part. Moving the franchise to LA would just about double its value over night. I know it sucks going through the process and all, but I would bet a lot of money he could be making at least $100-200 million more off the team if he would wait about 5 years and move the team before selling. Maybe he doesn't want to go through that but that's a lot of cash to pass up.

[IDEXAN]

So this purchase was not conditioned upon the franchise remaining in Jacksonville ? Good deal because the NFL really needs a team in LA and JVille just didn't cut the mustard as an NFL city.

[gwallaia]

Originally Posted by asleep

He looks just like a used car salesman.

[TexanExile]

Here's an early link to footage from next year's Jacksonville post-draft party, after they once again sign 14 defensive linemen:

Fan reaction

Multi-billionaire owner? Impressive...there goes the money excuse for free agent signings, at least in the minds of Jacksonville die-hards.

In related news, Jacksonville's die-hards were contacted about this story, and all three declined comment.

[Double Barrel]

Originally Posted by gwallaia

He looks just like a used car salesman.

Or Saddam's long lost brother.

[ziggy29]

Originally Posted by Dutchrudder

This sounds absolutely stupid on Weaver's part. Moving the franchise to LA would just about double its value over night. I know it sucks going through the process and all, but I would bet a lot of money he could be making at least $100-200 million more off the team if he would wait about 5 years and move the team before selling. Maybe he doesn't want to go through that but that's a lot of cash to pass up.

I obviously don't know the circumstances, but it's possible he doesn't need the extra money and is too loyal to Jacksonville to do that. Let the blood, so to speak, be on someone else's hands.

If that is in fact the case, I would say good for him for not letting the money be his only consideration. Of course, I also think that an owner would want a new stadium (i.e. not the Coliseum or Rose Bowl) before moving back to LA.

[OzzO]

Does it mention anywhere how much? Wonder if they'll crank it up more than Bobby Mac had to pay.

[Dutchrudder]

Originally Posted by ziggy29

I obviously don't know the circumstances, but it's possible he doesn't need the extra money and is too loyal to Jacksonville to do that. Let the blood, so to speak, be on someone else's hands.

If that is in fact the case, I would say good for him for not letting the money be his only consideration. Of course, I also think that an owner would want a new stadium (i.e. not the Coliseum or Rose Bowl) before moving back to LA.

Yeah, I could see that, but if I was about to buy the franchise I'm not sure I would want the blood on my hands. Look at the way Crane is being treated for letting the Astros change leagues. If Drayton had done the move before selling the team, Crane wouldn't be the bad guy that has to endure the scorn of the fans. The guy leaving will have little attachment to the team after he sells it anyways.

As far as a stadium is concerned, I believe LA is already in the process of building one. I read something about a year ago that LA had commissioned a new stadium to be built for a future NFL team. I assume they are expecting at least one of the teams to move there in the next couple years. The Jags would make the most sense as the city can't seem to sustain the franchise.

[IDEXAN]

Originally Posted by OzzO

Does it mention anywhere how much?

The round number I saw tossed out there was 'bout 3/4 B.

[texanhead08]

I saw an article to a link this morning on twitter that said if the Jags move it could be to St Louis with the Rams moving back to LA.

[Playoffs]

Originally Posted by IDEXAN

The round number I saw tossed out there was 'bout 3/4 B.

Yes, $760 million. Which can be somewhat meaningless depending on how it is structured.

[Thorn]

After the way I felt when the Oilers left town, I wouldn't wish that on anyone. I hope Jacksonville fans get to keep their team. Besides, what difference to us as Texan fans does it make if the Jags are from Florida or the moon? We still gotta beat them twice a year.

[HOU-TEX]

Originally Posted by asleep

Yes, $760 million. Which can be somewhat meaningless depending on how it is structured.

He paid cash. I kid you not