by Bradley Parsons
Staff Writer
Sunday marked the first Jaguars home game this season that fans could watch from the comfort of their living rooms. But many of them watched on sports bar big screens instead, bringing relief to proprietors whose weekend profits have been significantly cut by an early-season string of television blackouts.
Rose Sarkees, co-owner of the Miramar Players Grille on Hendricks Avenue, said it was a relief to see her restaurant packed on a home-game Sunday. More than 66,000 fans bought tickets to see the in-state rival Miami Dolphins play in Alltel Stadium, allowing the game to be televised. It was the first televised home game this year, after previous games against the San Diego Chargers and Buffalo Bills failed to sell out.
Having the Jaguars on the restaurant’s wall-sized main screen made a huge difference in her restaurant’s sales Sarkee said.
“It doubled our sales,” said Sarkee. “It’s terrible when they [the Jaguars] are blacked out; it kills me.”
National Football League rules prohibit the Jaguars games from being televised within a 75-mile radius of Jacksonville unless fans buy more than 59,000 non-premium seats.
On a given Sunday, Sarkee said each team playing on television brings in about 10 percent of her lunch crowd. When she shows the Jaguars, the crowd swells and home team fans make up about 60 percent of her business.
Sarkee said she enjoys her best sales when the Jaguars are competitive, both during a game and as the season continues. She said most fans leave at halftime when the Jaguars are losing big. A close game means fans will stay and keep ordering food and beer throughout the afternoon.
The Jaguars have played a lot of close games this year, but have only won one of them. Sarkee said fans are more likely to come out when the team is successful.
“Last year, sales were way down,” said Sarkee. “The first few years we were always packed; this is a fair-weather town.”
The Jaguars’ 1-5 record didn’t keep fans away from Mark Jackson’s Amsterdam Sky Cafe. Sitting in the shadow of the new Veteran’s Memorial Arena, Jackson said his restaurant was packed from 10 a.m. into the evening.
Once the game started, he said a small crowd of fans stayed behind to watch the game on the Amsterdam’s televisions.
Jackson hasn’t experienced a home blackout yet, but as the closest restaurant to the stadium, Jackson said the Amsterdam would survive future Sundays without the Jaguars on television.
“I think once people know we’re here, they’ll come whether there’s a game or not; whether they’re blacked out or not,” said Jackson. “The NFL decides if we can’t show a game. If we can’t, people can come watch the other games and we’ll have the Jags on the radio. Or they can always walk to the stadium to buy a ticket.”
Dan Connell, the Jaguars senior vice president for sales and marketing, said fan interest is still high for the team, but a faltering economy is most responsible for their reluctance to buy tickets this year.
“We’re disappointed when we have a blackout,” said Connell. “Every time we’re televised, we’re the highest-rated show for the week. Obviously there’s no doubt its a better revenue day for the sports bars when they can show the game.”
Sarkee hopes the Jaguars string of sellouts doesn’t end at one. But she said her real money makers play on Saturday anyway.
“Thank God for the Gators and FSU,” said Sarkee. “Their fans have packed this place every Saturday since we’ve been here.