Jaguars owner Shad Khan’s bid to buy London’s historic Wembley Stadium fell through, but the head of the Football Association doesn’t think that’s the end of a potential attempt to put his team in England.
According to James Olley of London’s Evening Standard, FA chief executive Martin Glenn insisted that Wembley wasn’t for sale after Khan withdrew his bid, but didn’t rule out a future bid by Khan for England’s national soccer stadium, or the pursuit of other options for a site there.
Specifically, he mentioned the new Tottenham Hotspur stadium, which was supposed to host the Raiders-Seahawks game last week before construction delays forced them to Wembley. Tottenham has a deal with the NFL to host 10 games there, and the Jaguars have a contract to play at least one game per year in London through 2020.
“He spent a lot of time and money, as did we, but something’s changed,” Glenn said of Khan’s future plans. “He has plenty of other options if he wants to [bring his NFL team] to London. Does he do a deal with Spurs? Does he do a deal with the Olympic Stadium?
“However, they do love playing at Wembley and we love having them. Within all this, we still want the Jags to play at Wembley. NFL income is important and the NFL are a great client in terms of the quality of events they bring. We are not giving up on a relationship with them but, right now, buying Wembley is not right for them.”
Khan has long said that he’s committed to Jacksonville, but the annual trips to London were a key part of their financial picture.
“While this is a disappointing development, we will continue to emphasize London and the role the UK plays in ensuring a promising long-term future for the Jaguars in Downtown Jacksonville,” Khan said in a statement. “London as the Jaguars’ home away from home remains a priority. Downtown Jacksonville with the Jaguars serving as a catalyst in its revitalization remains a priority. The relationship between London and the Jaguars is as important as ever and we will continue to develop it to the benefit of all.”
Now it remains to be seen if Khan tries to find a new place to play in London, or whether he makes another effort to buy one of sports’ most historic addresses.
