Racetrack has interest in becoming temporary home for Jaguars
If plans move forward on renovations for TIAA Bank Field, the home stadium for the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars, they will need to find a temporary home for at least two seasons.
An interesting possibility has emerged for that temporary home.
According to NBC Sports, the president of Daytona International Speedway plans to speak with NFL officials about potentially housing the Jaguars should they need a temporary home.
“Daytona International Speedway is a world-renowned sports and entertainment venue and hosts a full schedule of events each year,” said Frank Kelleher, president of Daytona International Speedway, in a statement. “As good neighbors in the Florida sports community, DIS will be speaking with the Jacksonville Jaguars to see if we can assist them with their potential upcoming facility needs around our scheduled events.”
The upgrades to TIAA Bank Field are estimated to cost around $2B and will be split 50-50 between team owner Shad Khan and the city.
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, the home of the Florida Gators, as well as Camping World Stadium in Orlando were mentioned as possible short-term homes, along with the possibility of additional games in London.
Daytona Speedway, however, is a new development in recent days and is perhaps the wildest of them all.
The speedway has a capacity of 101,500 people for racing, but there is no way that all of those seats would be good for football. The logistics of housing an NFL game would be fascinating to see.
The speedway did host a women's professional soccer game a year ago.
The fact the Jaguars are looking to sink so much money into stadium upgrades should be seen as a positive sign that the team is not necessarily looking to relocate. That has been a concern in recent years, especially as the team has struggled on the field.
The on-field product is rapidly improving, however, and the Jaguars should enter the 2023 season as the favorites in the AFC South after winning the division a year ago (and then winning a wild card playoff game) and getting Calvin Ridley to boost their passing game.
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