“I just wanted to, in light of all the reports that came out last night, to just clarify that I’m not selling the Jaguars. The team is not moving to L.A. (Los Angeles). I don’t know how I can say that any more clearly than that. Everybody wants me to sit here and speculate on the future. I’m not going to speculate on the future. At some point maybe I would sell the team, but not now. Whatever happens in the future, I can assure you one thing: The Jaguars are going to be the Jacksonville Jaguars.”
“If you think back a year and a half ago, it’s old news. If you remember, we went out to refinance some debt and our consultant that we hired to help us through that process recommended the easiest way to do that is take on additional investors, or an additional investor. We chose not to do that. I’m not going tell you that I don’t have, from time to time, people calling me inquiring if I have an interest in selling a minority interest. That’s always an option, but if I ever do that it will be with someone that shares the same commitment and passion to winning football and being a part of the Jacksonville partnership.”
“It’s a little bit frustrating when you think about how we’ve clearly demonstrated our commitment to this football team and to this community, by giving a lucrative contract to our coach, extending our quarterback to a long-term contract, spending freely in free agency, and extending a number of our core veteran players’ contracts. That’s not the kind of activities you engage in if you’re trying to sell a football team.”
(do you feel like you’re being wronged by the media?) “I’m frustrated. I think people take things out of context and every time you read there’s a rush for teams lining up to go to California, it becomes the story. Well, this team is not going to California. This team is the Jacksonville Jaguars. I just don’t know how I can do anything more to reconfirm my commitment to how excited I am about this football team and our chance to be special and compete at the highest level, to bring a championship to Jacksonville. So I just want our fans to get as excited as I am, come and enjoy football on Sunday afternoons, and if they can’t afford to come to the game, sit on the couch at home and cheer for the Jaguars.”
(do you still want to get some added investors?) “It’s always an option, we chose not to last year. If and when we do that, as I say, it’ll be with someone who shares my commitment and my passion to bringing a championship to Jacksonville.”
“Go back and read some of the stuff that came out last year. It was very specific. You’ll find we’re here a year later and we’re talking about the same old thing.”
(is this something that’s going to hound an x-number of franchises with rumors moving to Los Angeles?) “I think it will. I think clearly until there is a solution to the L.A. market, you’re going to have all kinds of speculation whether it’s the Jaguars or whoever it may be. But I can emphatically tell you the Jaguars are not one of the clubs lining up to go to L.A.”