by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
After Jacksonville Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver, Mayor John Delaney and Winn-Dixie president Al Rowland gathered at City Hall last week to announce that the grocery store chain would purchase up to 13,000 tickets for each game, assuring that none of the 2002 games would be blacked out locally, Weaver traveled to Lakeland to meet with Publix officials.
Dan Connell, senior vice president of marketing for the Jaguars, said Weaver believed Publix deserved an explanation because of all the publicity the ticket buy was getting, especially after Publix enjoyed a successful inaugural year last year as a primary sponsor of the team, and is entering the first year of a multi-year deal with the franchise.
“We felt like it was the appropriate thing to do,” said Connell, adding the meeting with Mark Irby, vice president of marketing for Publix, was initiated by Weaver.
Publix and Jaguars officials claim the meeting between Irby and Weaver went well and both parties parted on more than amicable terms.
“Everybody has dealt very professionally with this and we are excited about what Winn-Dixie has done,” said Connell.
“Our reaction is we are supportive of the Jaguars and Jaguars fans,” said Duane Stevens, community affairs manager for Publix, which has 21 stores locally compared to Winn-Dixie’s 25. “There is a concession in our contract to allow Winn-Dixie to make the purchase. We have a working relationship with Mr. Weaver and he was in Lakeland on Wednesday afternoon to meet with Mark Irby and our other marketing officials.
“No one is upset. It’s a business deal.”
Stevens assured that Publix in no way resents the mutual decision made by the Jaguars and Winn-Dixie and said Publix will continue its business relationship with the team and the community.
“You won’t see any difference in how we participate with — or deal with — the Jaguars,” said Stevens, adding that Publix did have an option to purchase tickets en masse. “It’s within the stipulations of our contract. We did buy an allotment of tickets.”
Terry Derreberry, community relations specialist for Winn-Dixie, said the idea was hatched a couple of weeks ago during a marketing brainstorming session. Staff members were kicking around ideas about how to help Winn-Dixie, the Jaguars and the community. Someone suggested buying a block of tickets and giving them away. A couple of hours later someone suggested buying enough tickets to assure all the games would be on TV. The idea was approved and the Jaguars were contacted.
“We approached the Jaguars. It was an opportunity to provide fans an entertainment resource,” said Derreberry, adding the Jaguars were eager to strike a deal. “I don’t think they were hesitant. They were very responsive.”
Connell said the team doesn’t believe that Winn-Dixie has set any kind of precedent for future seasons. The Jaguars believe that Winn-Dixie will actually provide many new fans the opportunity to attend their first Jaguars game and find the experience one worth paying for in the future.
“Our hope is that the folks that do come will have a good time and come back next year and we won’t have this happen again,” said Connell. “Next year, there will be even more enhancements to the stadium. It will all just get better and better and better.”