JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jaguars fans got their first look at the team Wednesday morning inside the new Miller Electric Center training facility in the team’s first training camp practice open to the public.
The day was full of different traditions for the Jags faithful.
Devoted Jags fans lined up early, even though they all had reserved seats for the free event.
Plenty of fans like Greg Moore and Kristi Taylor lined up more than an hour before the gates opened to check out the team.
“[Jags fans] have been waiting for this moment,” Taylor said, who showed up with her son and daughter. “We are all optimistic that this is going to be our year.”
“The chemistry, the camaraderie, the morale, the energy that everybody gets is amazing,” said Moore, who has been attending the annual open practices for the last 20 years.
He was there with his granddaughter who was visiting from Missouri.
“You cannot beat the live experience. There is nothing like it,” he said.
The practices are free to attend, but require reservations and only one day has a few limited spots remaining. Open practices on Friday, Saturday, July 31, Aug. 1-2-3, 6, 7 and 9 are already filled.
The only option for fans to still reserve tickets for the Miller Electric Center is Thursday, which has limited inventory for the 8:45 a.m. practice.
Free tickets are also still available for the military appreciation day on Aug. 5 on the field in EverBank Stadium.
The reservations come with a parking pass. You can find more parking information here: https://www.jaguars.com/trainingcamp/, along with answers to frequently asked questions.
Fans are likely to enjoy the changes the new practice facility brings, including shaded stands with ceiling fans.
But some traditions haven’t changed. John Port always serves chili for free to fans on the first day of Training Camp open to the public, and he and his crew didn’t disappoint on Wednesday. They have been going 28 years strong now.
“That is what we are out here to do,” Port said. “Bond with the fans and get ready for another campaign and just get ready to rock.”
Randy and Jaquelyn Felder anticipate this day every year. That is why they have been season ticket holders for the last 22 years.
They are both Jacksonville natives who have been rooting for the Jags since the team was founded.
“A lot more people are a lot more excited about what is going on in Jacksonville,” Randy said. “The potential for the team to really do well this year is higher than it has ever been before.”
“I am looking forward to traveling with the team [to some away games this year],” Jaquelyn said. “We are going to London this year, Pittsburgh and New Orleans. [Randy’s] bucket list is to do all of the NFL stadiums. We are making progress.”
Loyal fans believe the team will make even more progress this season as it builds off a successful run from last year.
“I think everybody has Jaguars fever right now,” Taylor said. “We are excited for a really exciting season.”
“We have really good progression from year one to year two and two to three,” Port said. “Much of this team are young players that are ready to play. The Pederson model seems to work. The players bought in right away and the fans love it. I think we are set for a long time.”
For the open practices, parking opens at 7 a.m. Gates open at 8 a.m. for the 8:45 a.m. practice.
There are some things fans need to remember if they’re planning to come to one of these practices:
- Everything is cashless. You will be able to buy merchandise and go to concessions for food.
- The clear bag policy is in place.
- There will be no autographs from the stands. Instead, a certain number of fans will be randomly selected to be a part of an autograph session with players after the practice.
Preseason dates to know
The Jaguars play three preseason games this August. Here’s a look at the schedule:
- Aug. 12, Jaguars at Cowboys, 5 p.m.
- Aug. 19, Jaguars at Lions, 1 p.m.
- Aug. 26, Dolphins at Jaguars, 7 p.m.
Big roster change
One big change the league made this year is the elimination of multiple rounds of cuts. This year, NFL teams can carry 90 players throughout camp. There will be just one big cutdown date — Aug. 29. That’s when rosters have to go from 90 to the regular season mark of 53. Instead of waves of cuts, that means a staggering 1,184 players will hit the waiver wire on roughly the same day.