by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
The Jacksonville Jaguars are looking for a new corporate sponsor for the stadium’s exclusive club areas after the agreement with Crown Royal expired and wasn’t renewed.
“They are not going to be the sponsor of the Touchdown Club,” said Bill Prescott, the team’s senior vice president of stadium operations and CFO. “I am not sure if they are eliminating their sponsorship or just scaling back. They will not be the sponsor for the Touchdown Club this season.”
The Touchdown Clubs are located on the east and west side of Jacksonville Municipal Stadium. They are both about 70,000 square feet and feature stadium and upscale food and several TVs.
While it is late June, Prescott said he thinks there is time to find a title sponsor for the clubs before the team’s regular season starts in early September.
“There’s enough interest,” he said. “Time is a little short, but we are talking to some people. This is not like the naming rights (for the stadium) issue. It’s something we will not do year-to-year, but rather long-term.”
The team and the City are also looking for a sponsor for the stadium. Various reports indicate the Jaguars and the City are seeking a deal that would be worth about $50 million over 10 years.
Prescott said the Touchdown Clubs wouldn’t generate nearly that kind of sponsorship revenue. He said the deal with Crown Royal was “six figures” annually, but wouldn’t divulge if that meant closer to $100,000 or $1 million a year.
Prescott also thinks the team will find a sponsor for the Touchdown Clubs within the team’s viewing area.
“This is much more of a local play, similar to the MPS Group’s sponsorship of the Terrace Suite,” he said. “It’s a six-figure sponsorship that’s pretty substantial. It’s more than just advertising. It’s naming rights and a whole lot of different things.”
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