JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jaguars fans have been electric after landing quarterback Trevor Lawrence as the team’s first pick in the NFL draft.
Phones have been ringing off the hook from people wanting to purchase season tickets. Chad Johnson, the senior vice president of sales for the Jaguars, is ecstatic about the fan momentum.
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“We are currently pacing on the same numbers we had seen for 2018,” Johnson said.
That was the last time the team made it to the AFC Championship.
“What’s most exciting for us is that where we sit today, we are about eight times ahead where we have been the last couple of seasons,” Johnson said. “The energy is so positive. We are connecting with new people, reconnecting with some of our old fans. It’s just been awesome.”
Johnson said there was an initial bump in sales for season tickets when the team secured the number one overall pick. Another boost came when the Jags signed Urban Meyer, and there was a third boost at the start of the draft.
“Fifty percent of these new buyers are brand new to our games, meaning we had no record of them. No tickets purchased in the past, they never signed up for a promotion, no two-way communication with them whatsoever,” Johnson said.
And the season ticket holders are younger.
“Our current season ticket base is, on average, 53 years old. These new deposit holders of new season ticket holders are 43 years old [on] average,” Johnson said.
Another group that the Jaguars are hearing from -- lapsed season ticket holders.
“Maybe someone who gave up their season tickets in 2015, 2016, and they’re calling back, do you have my seats, I want to get back on board, I want to sit where I used to sit,” Johnson explained.
The first of many from @trevorlawrencee 😍 pic.twitter.com/OQP5LeTasf
— #DUUUVAL (@Jaguars) April 30, 2021
According to Fanatics, the global leader for sports merchandize, Thursday night was the top-selling NFL draft first round in league history. Lawrence broke the record for sales by an NFL draftee on the first night.
Single game tickets will be available on the day the league announces the schedule -- May 12.