JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Jaguars will have a new look on and off the field this season.
The team announced Monday that it is removing tarps that cover four sections of EverBank Field to meet an increased demand for tickets in the wake of the team’s surprising run to the AFC Championship game.
The Jaguars will remove the tarps covering four sections of EverBank Field to add more than 3,000 seats. Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports
In addition, the team confirmed that it will have new uniforms, which will be unveiled sometime in the spring. That means the team is finally ditching its black and gold two-tone helmets.
The average season-ticket price will increase by an average of 10.9 percent, the team said, though the specific increase varies based on seat location. This is the first time in 10 seasons that a majority of the seats will have a cost increase, the team said.
However, the team also said it is lowering concession prices on certain items. Fans can purchase hot dogs, popcorn, bottled soda, and various other items for $5 each.
“Getting rid of the tarps has been our goal since Shad Khan purchased the team in 2012,” Jaguars president Mark Lamping said. “Our fans created a real home-field advantage for our final 2017 regular season games and home playoff appearance. We want to make sure that same home-field advantage is a reality every time the Jaguars take the field this fall by giving fans access to even more affordable tickets.”
The Jaguars received permission to remove the four tarps for their playoff game against Buffalo, which was the team’s first home playoff game since Jan. 23, 2000. Those tarps cover 3,501 seats and the team said those seats will be sold for $45 per game.
Tarps have long been a part of the Jaguars’ history. When the stadium was renovated in 1993-94 in preparation for the Jaguars’ inaugural season in 1995, the capacity was 76,766 with room to add temporary seating to accommodate 82,000. The stadium needed to be that big because of the annual Florida-Georgia football game.
The Jaguars advanced to the AFC Championship game in their second season and again in 1999 and attendance wasn’t a problem until the team started losing. The Jaguars had half of their 32 home games blacked out on local television from 2001-04 and installed 11 tarps that covered nearly 10,000 seats in the upper decks of the stadium. The Jaguars did not have any blackouts in 2005 or 2006, but had three games blacked out in 2007 and seven games blacked out in 2009 (none in 2008).
The Jaguars didn’t have a game blacked out from 2010-14 and the NFL suspended the television blackout rule after the 2014 season.
Additional renovations to EverBank Field over the past several seasons — including the installation of the world’s largest video boards, pools, the installation of premium seating throughout the stadium, and the removal of approximately 2,400 club seats — decreased the official capacity to 64,431. With the removal of the tarps the number is now 67,932.
Season ticket sales have been significantly higher than this time a year ago. The team said they’ve taken more than 5,000 deposits from fans purchasing new season tickets. That number was roughly 700 at this time last year, the team said.
It was not a secret that the team was going to be ditching its current uniforms. NFL rules mandate that teams must wait five years to make any uniform changes. The main issue with the Jaguars’ current uniform is the two-tone helmet, which Paul Lukas of Uni Watch called the worst in the league.
Taking into consideration recent domestic and continental results, along with underlying stats, we try to figure out which clubs are among Europe’s elite.
1. Manchester City (1st in Premier League)
League record
GF
GA
Shots on target per match
Shots conceded per match
23-3-1
79
20
7.6
6.4
Previous rank: 2nd
Manchester City climbs back to first in our rankings after picking up a solid 3-0 win over West Brom, drawing Burnley 1-1, and then resoundingly demolishing Leicester City 5-1 over the last two weeks, resulting in a 16-point gap atop the Premier League table. Pep Guardiola’s side is firing on all cylinders, much to the benefit of Sergio Aguero, who has emerged as a Golden Boot contender after his four-goal performance against the Foxes.
2. Barcelona (1st in La Liga)
League record
GF
GA
Shots on target per match
Shots conceded per match
18-5-0
60
11
7.3
10.5
Previous rank: 1st
Barcelona remains unchallenged atop La Liga, but stumbled in back-to-back draws with Espanyol and Getafe in league play over these last couple weeks, opening the door for City to reclaim the top spot in our rankings. Though the Blaugrana ought to be pleased with a berth in the Copa del Rey final, Ernesto Valverde will hope his players can find their scoring feet again: Barcelona has found the back of the net just four times in its last four matches.
3. Paris Saint-Germain (1st in Ligue 1)
League record
GF
GA
Shots on target per match
Shots conceded per match
21-2-2
76
17
7
9.3
Previous rank: 3rd
PSG remains third, though the margin between the top four is quite narrow. A quartet of victories in these last two weeks assured the French outfit its spot in the top three, though a pair of red cards in as many matches will be somewhat concerning for Unai Emery. In Ligue 1, the Parisians are unrivaled, enjoying a 12-point gap atop the table, but a date with Real Madrid in the Champions League round of 16 might prove to be the year’s make-or-break moment.
4. Bayern Munich (1st in Bundesliga)
League record
GF
GA
Shots on target per match
Shots conceded per match
18-2-2
53
17
7
9.2
Previous rank: 4th
What can we really say about Bayern Munich? This team just knows how to win, and that’s all they did in these last two weeks. The Bundesliga race is now all but over, with Bayern boasting a massive 18-point gap over second-placed RB Leipzig, and Jupp Heynckes’ side will also be pretty confident of advancing past Besiktas in the Champions League. Things are good in Bavaria.
5. Napoli (1st in Serie A)
League record
GF
GA
Shots on target per match
Shots conceded per match
20-3-1
54
15
7
7.8
Previous rank: 5th
It may just be a one-point lead atop the Serie A table, but for Napoli, it’s as precious a treasure as can be imagined. Maurizio Sarri’s side enjoyed a pair of victories to ensure that marginal advantage over Juventus, with a 4-1 win over third-placed Lazio preventing any twists in the Scudetto race. The only question Napoli faces is of sustainability – can they keep it up?
6. Juventus (2nd in Serie A)
League record
GF
GA
Shots on target per match
Shots conceded per match
20-2-2
61
16
6.4
8.3
Previous rank: 7th
Not far behind Napoli – and rightfully so – is Juventus, who picked up a pair of victories this week to keep pace for the Italian title. An emphatic 7-0 rout of poor Sassuolo set the stage for a solid 2-0 victory over Fiorentina, so there’s little to complain of from this latest stretch of fixtures. What Massimiliano Allegri needs now is for Napoli to slip up: Juventus’ consistency is its advantage.
7. Atletico Madrid (2nd in La Liga)
League record
GF
GA
Shots on target per match
Shots conceded per match
15-7-1
34
9
4.3
11.3
Previous rank: 9th
A pair of 1-0 wins over Valencia and Malaga sees Atletico Madrid move within seven points of first-placed Barcelona in La Liga and up another couple spots in our rankings. While there are certainly questions regarding the potency of Diego Simeone’s attacking ranks, there are none regarding the team’s defensive efficiency: Atletico has conceded just nine times in 23 league matches, the fewest of any team in the top five European leagues.
8. Real Madrid (4th in La Liga)
League record
GF
GA
Shots on target per match
Shots conceded per match
12-6-4
50
23
7.5
9.5
Previous rank: 12th
Real Madrid is hoping its fortunes are finally changing for the better, and while a 10-point gap behind Atletico is less than ideal, Zinedine Zidane’s side is starting to look threatening once again. Perhaps the Champions League will be the primary focus, as Los Blancos still haven’t shaken their poor league form, as evidenced in a 2-2 draw with Levante. Still, Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. turned it around with a 5-2 win over Real Sociedad right afterward.
9. Tottenham Hotspur (4th in Premier League)
League record
GF
GA
Shots on target per match
Shots conceded per match
15-7-5
52
24
5.8
8.6
Previous rank: 14th
Tottenham will be quite pleased with the results of its efforts over these last two weeks, having taken points from three Premier League giants while also dispatching Newport County in the FA Cup. A 2-2 draw with Liverpool came with some controversy, but Mauricio Pochettino’s side left no doubts of merit in beating Manchester United 2-0 and Arsenal 1-0 in league play.
10. Manchester United (2nd in Premier League)
League record
GF
GA
Shots on target per match
Shots conceded per match
17-5-5
51
19
5
11.7
Previous rank: 6th
It’s been a rough few weeks for Manchester United. The Red Devils dropped a crucial tilt with Tottenham, then turned it around with a 2-0 win over Huddersfield Town, only to lose to Newcastle on Sunday. Inconsistency is the main problem Jose Mourinho faces at Old Trafford, though his next league match is against Chelsea, and presents a chance to make something of a statement.
11. FC Porto (1st in Primeira Liga)
League record
GF
GA
Shots on target per match
Shots conceded per match
17-4-0
53
10
6.8
7.6
Previous rank: 13th
Still undefeated in league play, FC Porto is starting to turn heads, and for good reason: the Dragoes sit atop the Primeira Liga table, having dispatched both Chaves and Braga in league action in recent days. Porto will also enjoy a round of 16 matchup with Liverpool in the Champions League, where Sergio Conceicao’s men might just surprise a few onlookers.
12. Liverpool (3rd in Premier League)
League record
GF
GA
Shots on target per match
Shots conceded per match
15-9-3
61
31
6.3
7.7
Previous rank: N/R
Those ol’ defensive issues once again plagued Liverpool against Tottenham, but they were nowhere to be seen as the Reds dispatched Huddersfield Town and Southampton on either end of that 2-2 draw. As a result, Jurgen Klopp’s side sits pretty in third in the Premier League, and has also returned to our rankings after dropping out last time around.
13th. Chelsea (5th in Premier League)
League record
GF
GA
Shots on target per match
Shots conceded per match
15-5-6
46
23
6.2
10.2
Previous rank: 8th
Back-to-back losses against Bournemouth and Watford spell the story of a Chelsea team in a bit of momentary turmoil, and manager Antonio Conte is facing the music as a result. Does he deserve it? He reckons not, but it won’t make a bit of difference unless the Blues can turn it around and pick up wins. Unfortunately for Conte, the last two Chelsea managers were sacked after losing to West Brom, and that’s who his team faces next. No pressure.
14. AS Monaco (2nd in Ligue 1)
League record
GF
GA
Shots on target per match
Shots conceded per match
16-5-4
60
26
5.1
11.3
Previous rank: N/R
Last time around, Lyon made enough of a splash to warrant a spot in our top 15, but AS Monaco quickly reversed that inclination by twice defeating Bruno Genesio’s side – as well as holding Marseille to a 2-2 draw – to regain second in Ligue 1. Leonardo Jardim will be pleased with his team’s offensive potency, as Monaco reached the 60-goal mark for the season by scoring thrice against Lyon in a 3-2 win, before adding four more in a 4-0 win over Angers.
15. PSV Eindhoven (1st in Eredivisie)
League record
GF
GA
Shots on target per match
Shots conceded per match
20-1-2
60
23
7.9
11.6
Previous rank: 15th
Three consecutive victories in league play keeps PSV among Europe’s elite, though an eliminating loss to Feyenoord in the KNVB Cup quarter-finals isn’t quite as nice. Still, Phillip Cocu’s side keeps a seven-point gap over Ajax in the Eredivisie standings, which might only be narrowed in April when the two sides meet for a second league tilt in Eindhoven.
On the cusp: Marseille, Arsenal, Internazionale, Sevilla, Benfica, AEK Athens
