The Jacksonville Jaguars are set to take on the Buffalo Bills on Sunday morning at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, and the Jags come into the game with a distinct advantage over their opponent for this one. While the Bills flew across the pond early this week to prepare for the change in environment, the Jaguars have been there for two weeks already and have made London feel like home.
While the Jaguars played the Atlanta Falcons there last week and have made London home over the last 14 days, is this only just the beginning for the “London Jaguars?” Let’s take a closer look at the London-Jaguars connection to see if a move for the franchise is in the cards.
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Is a Move to London in the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Future?
Every year since 2007, the NFL schedules teams to play overseas and outside of the United States in various locations, with the goal being to grow the game’s popularity beyond just the USA and into other countries and other markets to further their reach and find new fans.
Over the years, the one team that has seemed to be a constant participant in the London game has been the Jaguars, and in 2023, that is no different. The Jaguars will become the first team to play in back-to-back international games in the league’s history when they play the Bills in Week 5 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Does all of this signal a move to London for the franchise? Probably not definitively, but the move is not out of the question either. While it is certainly a possibility, and the league itself has not ruled out the chance of a team being based overseas in the future, there is nothing imminent at this time to say that the Jaguars would make that move. Still, the connection for the franchise is there.
The Jaguars Are Front-Runners for a Relocation
If a move in the coming years were to happen, the NFL has a clear front-runner for who may be the easy first choice to do so.
Much of the reason is due to the ease of logistics for the team’s owner Shahid Khan. Khan is the owner of Fulham F.C., a soccer club in the Premier League located in London. By having an ownership stake in the area, arrangements for his two teams to be in the same city at least once a season are convenient for the owner.
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To have a team play across the pond takes time, effort, and planning, in addition to having willing participants to make the game happen. While most of the league does not seem to be eager to lose a home game or play in a different country that messes with their regimented schedule, the Jaguars ownership continues to be happy to oblige and have done so twice in a row this season.