Over the past week, rumors have begun swirling that Shad Khan could move the Jacksonville Jaguars to London. To be clear, that’s just what they are; rumors. A former employee of Khan’s soccer team, Fulham FC, stated that Khan is being untruthful about his plan for the Jaguars and his pending purchase of Wembley stadium. While these are claims from a disgruntled former employee, the Jaguars fanbase deserves to hear a response from the owner himself.
Shad Khan Needs to Personally Shut Down Rumors the Jacksonville Jaguars Could Move
The Rumors
Over the years there have been rumors that the Jaguars could move to another city. They have always been unfounded rumors. But the current one alleges that Jaguars owner Shad Khan could move the Jaguars to London.
Ex-employee says Shad Khan lying about having no plans to move Jags https://t.co/sNHMs6bTVT
— Kathryn Bonfield (@kbonjax) October 12, 2018
The English Football Association (soccer), is looking into the claims as Khan’s purchase of Wembley is pending. In the above article, Khan makes a statement reaffirming his commitment to both Jacksonville and London. There have also been various outlets this week to display questions about how a permanent home team in London would even work. This is especially true for teams on the west coast. It’s a long trip. This doesn’t even factor in what a London team would entail for the players of that team. Would players want to move to London? Who knows.
Of course, the rumors by the former employee of Khan are not specific enough to warrant credibility. But Khan would be wise to realize that the fans take such claims seriously and they want to keep their team in Jacksonville. Khan is a businessman and it’s curious what his proposals mean for the Jacksonville Jaguars future.
Shad Khan’s Ambitious Proposals
Jaguars owner Shad Khan is an ambitious businessman. In fact, Khan’s proposal to buy Wembley Stadium isn’t the only one he has right now. Khan also wants to transform downtown Jacksonville.
“Today’s proposal represents the first step in delivering the vision we first shared three years ago for the rebirth of downtown Jacksonville.
The Shipyards is the optimal and obvious site for a new Jacksonville convention center.”
– @Jaguars Owner Shad Khan pic.twitter.com/eXq8M8lHN9
— Tad Dickman (@TDickman89) August 2, 2018
Tad Dickman is the Jaguars Director of Public Relations. He released the above tweet after the Jaguars “State of the Franchise” briefing earlier this summer. Khan has made more than one proposal to help transform downtown Jacksonville. But will the city take action? Jacksonville has long been a slow-moving city in terms of growth. That will likely continue. The question is, will Khan grow tired of the slowness of Jacksonville’s city government? It’s too early to tell, but this is exactly why Khan should publicly shut down rumors that the Jaguars will move.
Businessmen probably like to keep pending plans quiet while they are still pending. It’s possible that Khan doesn’t plan to move the Jaguars to London. It’s been reported by First Coast News (and other outlets) that four games a season could be home games in London for the Jaguars. Those reports are just speculation right now. But they are coming to the attention of fans as Khan’s Wembley plan continues to unfold. Jaguars fans, especially season ticket holders, would not be happy if this were a reality.
The Last Word on Shad Khan’s Plans
At this time, speculation reigns supreme on Khan’s plan for the Jaguars future in Jacksonville and London. Khan shouldn’t be expected to update the fan base at every turn, but he should reassure Jacksonville of his commitment to the city. Khan obviously has plans in both Jacksonville and London. Let’s hope Jacksonville doesn’t lose out.
