JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — With a Colts loss, the Jags are officially in the playoffs, and local fans are happy to accept the early Christmas gift to the City of Jacksonville, courtesy of one of our division rivals.
“They’re in. That’s all that matters,” local Jags fan Ryan Raynis said.
“For us to come in, brand-new coaching staff, first year, and get into the playoffs is pretty special,” another fan, Madison Cronn, said.
It’s the team’s first playoff berth since 2022, but fans at Sports Mania in Jacksonville Beach on Tuesday morning said this year just feels different.
“I mean, go back to the beginning of the year, people were thinking like eight wins, maybe, like maybe,” Raynis said.
“Oh yeah, 100 percent,” Cronn said.
Sports Mania owner Mathew Smith told Action News Jax business has boomed over 200 percent over the past two weeks.
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“We’re shipping in new stuff every single day. I’ve got stuff booked to come in three to four weeks from now. So, I mean, we’re gambling we’re going to go deep in the playoffs,” said Smith.
According to data from Visit Jacksonville, the last home playoff game boosted hotel bookings by nearly 15 percent over the weekend in January of 2023, equating to thousands of more rooms.
Smith noted the economic activity that touches every part of the city.
“When you put a winning product on the field, it delivers results for retailers, restaurants, bars,” said Smith.
And the intangible impacts on fans and the city’s spirit are, of course, immeasurable.
“There’s so many people coming here from everywhere. Everywhere you go, there’s construction. So, you know this is kind of like a beacon for the city to a degree,” Raynis said.
While the Jags may be guaranteed to go to the playoffs, the next two games are still critical to securing a home playoff game.
Ticket prices for the season closer against the Titans currently range from anywhere between about $50 to over $1,000 a seat.
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