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10/15 09:29 CDT With the Jaguars on the rise, UK fans nervous about team's plan
to reevaluate its London strategy
With the Jaguars on the rise, UK fans nervous about team's plan to reevaluate
its London strategy
By KEN MAGUIRE
AP Sports Writer
LONDON (AP) --- Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence cited London's
"history and the feel and charm" on Sunday after a dramatic victory over the
Philadelphia Eagles.
"I feel like we have a strong connection and tie to London," Lawrence said.
"We've been playing here for a long time. Who knows if that will change?"
Indeed, it's quite possible it could.
The Jaguars said before the season that they're going to "totally reevaluate"
their London strategy. Their economic motivation to play in London each year
--- usually at Wembley Stadium like they'll do Sunday against the Houston
Texans --- will decrease when their stadium renovation in Jacksonville is
complete, expected in time for the 2028 season.
Under owner Shad Khan, the Jaguars were early adopters of the NFL's
international push and started playing annual games in the British capital in
2013. Khan also owns London-based Fulham in the Premier League.
Jags fans in the U.K. are hoping the team doesn't disappear.
They've supported them through the lean years --- until 2025, the Jags had
never brought a winning record to London.
But now, expectations are sky high.
"We're totally bought in," Scottish fan Keir Robinson said Sunday before
kickoff at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where the Jags beat the Eagles 19-17.
"What Liam Coen is doing just now is incredible. This is our time. I think we
are playoff-bound, could be Super Bowl-bound."
Robinson and his wife, Julie, took a 7 a.m. flight from Edinburgh to London for
the game.
As for the future?
"If they were here every second year, that would be big for us," he said. "If
they never come back, five years down the line am I still a Jags fan? I don't
know."
Another fan, John Rawson of Dorset in southwest England, added "it would be a
shame" if the team changed course.
No decisions made public yet The Jaguars have not made any announcements about their long-term future in London. Any potential big changes might not take effect until 2028, when their stadium is complete. The Jags will move most of their home games to Orlando next season, when they'll still have the option of playing three home games in London. Team President Mark Lamping told the team's flagship radio broadcaster during the preseason that "our commitment to London is year to year" and that it's time to "totally reevaluate our London strategy." In a statement to The Associated Press, Lamping said the Jags "were pioneers in the league's international strategy by first committing to one home game annually in London beginning with the 2013 season." "Our year-round presence in London since then has been a major plus for the league, the U.K. and our home market of Jacksonville, which has realized business and tourism benefits made possible only due to our immersion in London," he added. Sunday's game will be Jacksonville's 16th in London.
Some UK fans want more variety Britain has a well-developed NFL fanbase with support for a variety of teams. But they're not all Jacksonville fans, which means there's some fatigue with the Jags coming year after year. Matt Cullen, an Englishman who supports the New York Jets said: "Fans are a little bit bored of the Jags now." That was before Sunday's drama at Tottenham, but stats back up his sentiment. The Jags ranked No. 28 for most-watched teams on NFL Game Pass in Britain and Ireland in 2025. Jacksonville was also among the lesser-searched NFL teams by U.K. fans in 2025, according to analytics company Hyperset Group, based on Google search data. Still, attendance at three of the past four Jaguars games at Wembley exceeded 86,000. Tickets were still available this week for Sunday's game but far fewer than were available a few weeks ago.
Other NFL teams embracing UK The Jags and nine other teams have NFL-approved marketing rights in the U.K. Few can match Jacksonville's presence and longevity in Britain, but they're certainly looking for new supporters. The Minnesota Vikings held a scavenger hunt in London last week. Fans located purple envelopes downtown and won Justin Jefferson jerseys. Of the teams with U.K.-specific social media accounts, the Vikings have the most Instagram followers (almost 43,000), followed by the Jaguars and the Bears. The Jags are way ahead on X. The Chicago Bears this month are on a "U.K. grand tour" with events in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Bears' popularity here dates to a 1986 preseason game at the original Wembley Stadium. Mike Ditka was Chicago's coach and defensive lineman William "The Refrigerator" Perry got the headlines. ___ See AP's full NFL coverage here
No decisions made public yet The Jaguars have not made any announcements about their long-term future in London. Any potential big changes might not take effect until 2028, when their stadium is complete. The Jags will move most of their home games to Orlando next season, when they'll still have the option of playing three home games in London. Team President Mark Lamping told the team's flagship radio broadcaster during the preseason that "our commitment to London is year to year" and that it's time to "totally reevaluate our London strategy." In a statement to The Associated Press, Lamping said the Jags "were pioneers in the league's international strategy by first committing to one home game annually in London beginning with the 2013 season." "Our year-round presence in London since then has been a major plus for the league, the U.K. and our home market of Jacksonville, which has realized business and tourism benefits made possible only due to our immersion in London," he added. Sunday's game will be Jacksonville's 16th in London.
Some UK fans want more variety Britain has a well-developed NFL fanbase with support for a variety of teams. But they're not all Jacksonville fans, which means there's some fatigue with the Jags coming year after year. Matt Cullen, an Englishman who supports the New York Jets said: "Fans are a little bit bored of the Jags now." That was before Sunday's drama at Tottenham, but stats back up his sentiment. The Jags ranked No. 28 for most-watched teams on NFL Game Pass in Britain and Ireland in 2025. Jacksonville was also among the lesser-searched NFL teams by U.K. fans in 2025, according to analytics company Hyperset Group, based on Google search data. Still, attendance at three of the past four Jaguars games at Wembley exceeded 86,000. Tickets were still available this week for Sunday's game but far fewer than were available a few weeks ago.
Other NFL teams embracing UK The Jags and nine other teams have NFL-approved marketing rights in the U.K. Few can match Jacksonville's presence and longevity in Britain, but they're certainly looking for new supporters. The Minnesota Vikings held a scavenger hunt in London last week. Fans located purple envelopes downtown and won Justin Jefferson jerseys. Of the teams with U.K.-specific social media accounts, the Vikings have the most Instagram followers (almost 43,000), followed by the Jaguars and the Bears. The Jags are way ahead on X. The Chicago Bears this month are on a "U.K. grand tour" with events in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Bears' popularity here dates to a 1986 preseason game at the original Wembley Stadium. Mike Ditka was Chicago's coach and defensive lineman William "The Refrigerator" Perry got the headlines. ___ See AP's full NFL coverage here
