Football is back at the 'Bank! Jacksonville Jaguars fans are invited to EverBank Field this Thursday night to see the Jaguars take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the team's second preseason game. The primetime matchup will kick off at 8 p.m. on ESPN and broadcast locally on WJXX ABC 25. Below is important information for fans heading to the downtown sports complex for the Jaguars' first home appearance of the season.
Fan Entertainment Zone presented by PRI Productions expands to include Daily's Place
One year ago this week, the Jaguars and the City of Jacksonville broke ground on the brand-new Daily's Place. This year, the state-of-the-art amphitheater and covered flex facility will provide an extended home to the Fan Entertainment Zone presented by PRI Productions, which opens three hours prior to kick off in the south end zone between Gate 4 and Gate 1 presented by Dream Finders Homes. Fans can enjoy interactive games and activities inside the covered flex field and along the plaza just inside the gates. The construction of Daily's Place also provides an entirely new look to the ground floor of the south end zone. Fans can enjoy the new south end zone food hall featuring the all new Freeze Frozen Drink Bar, craft beer stations, new concession stands and a full-size Daily's convenience store alongside a brand new Jags Pro Shop.
Mobile ticketing
For the convenience and security of all our fans, the Jaguars are allowing entry to EverBank Field this season using only a hard ticket or a mobile ticket accessed via your phone. The option to print a ticket as a PDF is no longer available via Ticketmaster. This reduces the likelihood of counterfeit tickets and provides a convenient way for ticket holders to forward tickets to friends and guests. Jaguars season ticket members wishing to forward tickets or access them for entry via their mobile device should download the recently-released Official Jacksonville Jaguars app and tap Jags365 Account. Fans can visit www.jaguars.com/mytickets for detailed instructions on managing tickets via a mobile device.
Celebrate Play Football Month
August is the NFL's Play Football Month. In celebration, the halftime show on Thursday night will feature games between four local youth football teams. The Normandy Cowboys, Palatka Pirates, Callahan Warriors and Fleming Island Silver Eagles are all members of area pop warner football conferences serving thousands of football players and cheerleaders across the Greater Jacksonville area. During the national anthem, the field flags will be held by youth football players from around the First Coast and students from Bartram Trail High School, the winners of the 2017 Jaguars 7-on-7 passing challenge, will stand beside the team.
Downtown Jacksonville expecting a crowd
The Jacksonville Sherriff's Office is expecting increased traffic the evening of August 17 due to multiple events occurring throughout the sports complex. Fans are encouraged to leave home or the office early to allow for ample travel time and ensure they don't miss a moment of the action. The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) Gameday Xpress will be in operation this Thursday from multiple downtown and suburban locations. Service begins two hours before kick off and operates one hour after the game ends. Complete details and fare information is available at www.jtafla.com.
Be clear on game day safety
Fan safety is a priority to the Jaguars and EverBank Field. All fans arriving at EverBank Field on game day will be screened by walk-through magnetometers at all entry gates. To help expedite entry into the stadium, fans should keep small items such as keys and coins in their pockets and be prepared to put larger items such as cell phones, camera and binoculars in the bins. The NFL's clear bag policy is in effect at EverBank Field. Fans are encouraged to leave bags at home, but, if necessary, it should be either bags that are clear plastic and do not exceed 12" x 6" x 12", a one-gallon clear plastic freezer bag or a small clutch, approximately the size of a hand. For complete details on the clear bag policy and a comprehensive list of prohibited items, visit www.jaguars.com/allclear.
Pregame patriotism
This week's national anthem will be performed by Jacksonville native Alec Hadden. A former member of the Jacksonville Children's Chorus and a graduate of Jacksonville University, Hadden has worked with the Jacksonville Symphony, Players by the Sea and Theatre Jacksonville. On hand to interpret the national anthem for the hearing impaired is Theresa Giordano. The colors will be presented by the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Game day timeline
9 a.m. Ticket office opens (North end zone between Gates 2 and 3)
5 p.m. Fan Entertainment Zone opens (South end zone between Gates 1 and 4)
6 p.m. EverBank Field seating bowl and all gates open
6 – 7 p.m. The ROAR autographs (Fan Entertainment Zone)
6:30 - 7 p.m. Alumni player autographs (Fan Entertainment Zone)
7:45 p.m Jags Cinema pregame show begins on the video boards
8 p.m. Kickoff