>>
>> NOW THE JAGUARS, AFTER CLOSE
HOME OPENER TO THE FACTORS THAT
GO ON THE ROAD THIS SUNDAY TO
SAN DIEGO.
FOR THE LATEST INNOVATIONS TO
THSTADIUM" A NEW SURGE OF
FAN INTEREST IN THE HOME TEAM
THIS YEAR.
>> IS A SPECIAL BROADCAST EARLY
TONIGHT THAT CALIFORNIA MAY
HAVE A DEEPER APPRECIATION FOR
OUR LOCAL NFL TEAM.WE GET AN
INSIDE LOOK AT HOW THIS ONCE
SLEEPY CITY IN NORTHEAST
FLORIDA PROVED ITS GRIDIRON
GREAT LANDED IN AND FELT
FRANCHISE AGAINST ALL ODDS.
WE HAVE THIS DOCUMENTARY AND
THEIR VERY OWN CINDERELLA
STORY.
>> IT IS A CINDERELLA STORY IN
1993 IT WAS LAUGHABLE THAT
JACKSON WILL GET AN NFL TEAM
BUT YOU HEARD OF THE LITTLE
ENGINE THAT COULD.
THIS WAS A LITTLE CITY THAT
COULD AND IT DID.
-- MANY CREDIT THIS EVENT.
IN 1979.
ON THE FIELD OF THE GATOR BOWL
AT A PIVOTAL MOMENT THE NFL
WILL STARTED TURNING FOR THE
CITY.
AN ESTIMATED 50,000 PEOPLE
SHOWED UP TO SEE THE OWNER OF
THE BALTIMORE COLTS, PAY A
VISIT TO THE CITY.
THEN HE WAS CONSIDERED MOVING
HIS TEAM HERE.
>> IT WAS A BIG PERSONALITY
KIND OF A BLOWHARD, AND GET A
LOT OF BACKSLAPPING WHILE HE
WAS HERE.
BUT ADJUSTED TO 50,000 PEOPLE
THAT SHOWED UP FOR PEPSI AND A
HOT DOG WERE EVIDENCE THAT YOU
KNOW, THERE WAS SOMETHING
DIFFERENT HERE THAN OTHER
PLACES.
HE COULD HAVE GOTTEN ANYWHERE
AND NOT GET ON THAT RESPONSE.
HE GOT A PRETTY GOOD RESPONSE
HERE.
>> AFTER THE OTHER OWNERS
SUPPORTED WITH THE IDEA OF
MOVING THEIR TEAM TO THE SHORES
OF THE ST. JOHN.
BUT ULTIMATELY USED
JACKSONVILLE AS A LEVERAGE
POINT TO PINNACLE BETTER TEAMS
AT HOME.
AND IT PROVIDED THE NFL TO
BECOME BETTER ACQUAINTED WITH
JACKSONVILLE.
AND TOUCHED ON JACKSONVILLE
INCLUDED -- TIME TO LAY THE
FOUNDATION FOR A TEAM.
IN 1991 WHEN THE LEAGUE
ANNOUNCED THEY WOULD BE ADDING
TO EXPANSION TEAMS,
JACKSONVILLE JUMPED INTO THE
RACE AND ENDURED THE KILL.
BY THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.
>>.
[INDISCERNABLE]
>> I THOUGHT WE HAD A CHANCE.
IF YOU READ THE NATIONAL AND
TALK TO SOME OF THE ESPN AND OF
THE SPORTS REPORTERS AND THEY
HAD NOT MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT
YET.
SO I WAS ASKING AROUND, WHAT
CHANCE YOU THINK JACKSONVILLE
HAS AND THAT BASICALLY LACKED.
>> BESIDES THE DOUBT OF MANY
AROUND THE NATION THERE WERE
MANY OBSTACLES AT HOME TO
OVERCOME INCLUDING NASTY
NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE WEAVER
GROUP AND SITTING AWKWARD AND
THE FAILED ATTEMPT TO PASS THE
STADIUM DEAL BY CITY COUNCIL.
>> THAT LAND DID NOT PASS THAT
NIGHT FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS,
WE WERE JUST GOT TIRED AND
MAYBE GO ALSO.
>> THERE ARE MANY MORE DRAMATIC
MOMENTS INCLUDING NFL MANDATE
TO SELL THOUSANDS OF CLUB SEATS
IN 10 DAYS.
AND IN THE MOMENT WHEN PAUL
AWARDED CAROLYN 18 MADE MADE
THE NATION WAIT ONE MONTH
BEFORE AND ANNOUNCED THE SECOND
EXPANSION TEAM.
>> THAT WAS THE HURDLE AND I
FELT THAT IT WAS SLIPPING AWAY
FROM US AT THAT POINT.
COMMAND ULTIMATELY REJECTED THE
TEAM.
WE WERE ATTACKED TOM TO COACHES
AND HERE WE ARE 23 YEARS LATER.
NOT ONE PERSON WE SPOKE TO
BELIEVED JAGUARS HAD NOT
CHANGED THE CITY FOR THE
BETTER.
>> GIVES THE TIME AND IDENTITY.
I NEVER WOULD'VE ANTICIPATED IT
WOULD HAVE AS POSITIVE OF AN
IMPACT RECRUITING BUSINESSES
TRAVELING ACROSS THE COUNTRY
TRYING TO PUT ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT DEALS TOGETHER.
IT IS A BIG DEAL.
IT IS A REALLY REALLY BIG DEAL.
>> THERE IS SO MUCH MORE ABOUT
THE HISTORY OF THE JAGUARS IN
THIS DOCUMENTARY.
LIKE THE SPORTS DIRECTOR
TELLING HOW HE WAS IN A ROOM
WITH WEAVERS THE MOMENT THERE
THEY GOT THE TEAM.
MISSED OPPORTUNITY TO BROADCAST
OR WATCH OUR CONTINUING
COVERAGE ON www.NEWS4JAX.com.
CHANNEL 4, THE LOCAL STATION.
>>> WILL HAVE TWO ENCORE
PRESENTATIONS OF DESTINY, THE
INSIDER STORY AND HELP JACKSON