Shahid Khan completed the purchase of the Jacksonville Jaguars Wednesday from Wayne and Delores Barr Weaver and their partners in an acquisition estimated at $760 million.
The Weavers have owned the franchise since its start in 1993 and agreed Nov. 29 to sell the team to Khan.
“Parting with the Jaguars is not easy but we have great confidence in Shad and his family that the franchise is in good hands,” said Wayne Weaver in a statement.
“It will be very different for us watching from a distance, but we look forward to many great days cheering for the Jaguars. Once again we want to say thank you to the fans for making the past 18 years so rewarding and memorable,” he said.
“I want to thank Wayne and Delores for their support and confidence throughout this process,” Khan said in a statement.
“Over the past month I’ve experienced first-hand the passion that Jaguars fans have for this team,” he said.
“Let me assure them that I will do everything possible to build a consistent winner on the field, and a model franchise off the field, that will make the people of Jacksonville very proud,” he said.
Khan provided a brief first-day interview at EverBank Field with the Daily Record.
About the first day on the job as Jaguars owner:
The dream comes to a natural end and the reality sinks in, so heavy lifting is starting right now.
What’s going through your mind right now?
We’ve got a lot of work to do.
What’s it like walking in?
It’s something I have looked forward to all my life. Five years in the making, it’s here. It’s a big day. The check has cleared, so that’s a good thing.
Office here?
This is a huge, huge investment for me. I’m talking mentally, obviously financially. I want to make sure that it’s successful and that it serves Jacksonville well. I really want Jacksonville to be proud of the Jaguars. We’ve got a lot work to do.
What does the dream mean to you?
It’s about serving the public, having a great time, making a buck or two.
Jacksonville feel like home yet?
Absolutely. I love it. You could have a foot of snow or this beautiful day. I was here 20 years ago and I thought this was a beautiful area. I’ve been here for about eight days now … stunningly beautiful. I think the South of France has nothing on Jacksonville. Lunch today?
Meeting business leaders today. Really in a listening mode. I’ve got my ears open and, believe me, I’ve had an earful from everybody, which is wonderful. This is a critical time to kind of reflect, think about what we are going to do moving forward.
Decision on a coach?
(Jaguars General Manager) Gene Smith is doing a lot of heavy lifting. That poor guy, I don’t know how much sleep he has gotten, not a lot. That is the most important decision to make. We have to get someone here that will really serve Jacksonville well, connect with the community and win. I’m focused on that. Other than making sure the boatload of money showed up this morning, that’s the most important thing. We have stimulated the Jacksonville economy today.
Plans for front office changes:
When you are a fan, you want to shoot first and ask questions later. I think the change now is that you want to be thoughtful, think about things and take action. I’m not going to be doing a lot of analysis paralysis. I’ve got a real good sense about what to do at this point.
When will we see those decisions?
Hopefully, in the coming days. Every minute is a minute we are not going to get back. I want to make sure we do the right thing and move quickly.
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