The National Football League Finance Committee voted unanimously Tuesday to recommend Shahid Khan’s bid to buy the Jacksonville Jaguars to the full ownership committee for a vote next week, reported WJXT-TV 4.
Channel 4, a news partner of the Financial News & Daily Record, reported that when asked whether the team would remain in Jacksonville, the Illinois businessman said he couldn’t comment until the deal was approved — then offered a hint of what the answer would be.
“Hopefully the vote goes the way we’re expecting. I’ll be happy to elaborate on that, and (fans) will not be disappointed,” Khan said after meeting with the 10 owners on the committee at league headquarters in New York.
Wayne Weaver announced Nov. 29 that he had agreed to sell the franchise to Khan for a reported $760 million. The owners will vote Wednesday in Dallas.
Khan declined Weaver’s invitation to attend Monday night’s game against San Diego, saying the spotlight should be on the outgoing owner. He watched the 38-14 loss on TV and saw the fans wearing fake moustaches in honor of his trademark look.
“I’ve got to tell you — it was the best-looking group of fans I’ve ever seen,” Khan said, according to Channel 4. “They looked beautiful. I was really surprised. It was wonderful.”
He thanked the fans for their “really warm overtures.”
“It’s a day I’m going to remember for a long time,” Khan said, standing next to Weaver.
According to Channel 4, Khan had initially said he wouldn’t speak publicly until after next week’s vote, but he decided to answer a few questions on camera after two Jacksonville TV stations made the trip to New York for the finance committee meeting.
Last Tuesday, Weaver fired longtime coach Jack Del Rio after a 3-8 start and gave general manager Gene Smith a three-year contract extension.
Weaver had for several years been seeking a buyer who would keep the team, often rumored as a future Los Angeles transplant, in Jacksonville.
Weaver is a member of the finance committee but recused himself from Tuesday’s vote, Channel 4 reported.
“It’s a bittersweet time but it’s the right time and I’ve found a great family that is going to come in and will continue to build a legacy that we started,” said Weaver.
Born in Pakistan, Khan came to the United States as a teenager to attend the University of Illinois. In 1980, he purchased Flex-N-Gate Corp., a major manufacturer of bumper systems for pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles built in North America. Flex-N-Gate is based in Urbana, Ill.
Khan sought to buy controlling interest in the St. Louis Rams last year.
“It’s unbelievable,” he said of being so close to becoming an NFL owner. “It’s the American dream.”
Weaver said the deal will likely be completed Jan. 4.
Khan spokesman Jim Woodcock, senior vice president and partner of Fleishman-Hillard Sports Business, distributed updated information this morning.
He included Khan’s remarks Tuesday, as well as those by Weaver.
Weaver: It is a little late tonight, but it has been a long day. It was a big agenda. There were four or five other ownership issues on the agenda. We are coming out with a unanimous recommendation that this will be on the agenda at our meeting in Dallas next week. I am really optimistic that we are going to get thing done and you are going to have a great new owner in Jacksonville. With that I will turn it over to Shahid.
Khan: It is absolutely a pleasure for me to be here. I appreciate all of you coming here from Jacksonville. What a pleasant surprise. I saw the game last night obviously on TV. I want to thank everybody in Jacksonville for the really warm overtures. It is a night that I am going to remember for a long, long time. Thank you.
On talking Tuesday rather than after next Wednesday’s league meeting:
Shad: All of you are here, and we don’t want to disappoint you.
On Jacksonville fans’ comfort in the future of the Jacksonville Jaguars:
Khan: Let me just say, let them wait until next week. They will be very comfortable next week. Hopefully, if the vote goes the way we are expecting, I will be happy to elaborate on it. They will not be disappointed.
On the upcoming week:
Khan: It is all Jaguars week next week for us.
About Jacksonville:
Khan: I like Jacksonville a lot. I spent time in Jacksonville installing a lot of bumpers on Blount Island. It used to be the import truck capital of the world.
On whether he owns a place in Jacksonville:
Khan: I don’t.
On his relationship with Wayne Weaver:
Khan: I have had the pleasure of meeting Wayne through — as a matter of fact, he probably wouldn’t mind mentioning — Mike McCaskey from the (Chicago)Bears. He introduced me to Wayne. I have stayed in touch with him and really, obviously, am delighted to be here today.
On the moment:
Khan: It is unbelievable. It is the American dream.
On being the NFL’s first minority owner:
Khan: There is pride but, quite frankly, this is America. It can only happen here. I leave it for the pundits and other people really to decide. What I want to do is obviously be successful in Jacksonville.
On the popularity of his mustache:
Khan: I am surprised. Obviously, I have to tell you, it was the best looking group of fans I have ever seen at a game. They looked beautiful. I was really surprised. It was wonderful.
On the Tuesday meeting with the NFL Finance Committee:
Weaver: It was a long process. I was in the stadium finance committee earlier today and that was a long process and met with all of the members of the finance committee. It was a long, arduous meeting. As I said, there were some other ownership issues were on the docket, but more importantly, we got done today what we expected to get done with a unanimous recommendation.
On if Weaver recused from the vote to make it a 9-0 recommendation:
Weaver: Yes, it will be on the agenda next week for a vote by the membership.
On if the sale process is bittersweet:
Weaver: Sure, you heard me emotionally say it is a bittersweet time, but it is the right time. I found a great family that is going to come in and continue to build the legacy that we started.