If you didn’t have a reason to root for the Jacksonville Jaguars here in Osceola County before, here’s one.
Experience Kissimmee, the county’s tourism marketing arm, announced a multi-year partnership on Tuesday, where Experience Kissimmee will be the NFL team’s official Travel Destination partner.
The sponsorship will kick off in late June, with Experience Kissimmee reporting it would serve as the Presenting Partner of Jaguars Summer Player Tour in the United Kingdom. The tour will feature Jaguar players engaging in fan events and community youth football programs in London and Liverpool England and Belfast, Northern Ireland. Experience Kissimmee will also have visibility at TIAA Bank Field this season with onsite signage and marketing pieces, and will create custom Jaguars content.
The Jaguars, who have annually played a regular-season game in London the past few seasons, will be the first NFL team to play there twice in a season when they face the Atlanta Falcons (Oct. 1) and Buffalo Bills (Oct. 8) in back to back weeks at Wembley. Experience Kissimmee notes London is the No. 1 international market for travelers to Kissimmee.
The partnership offers Experience Kissimmee marketing and advertising rights within TIAA Bank Field, as well as online digital assets, creative in-market content, and, “Community event inclusion that showcases Kissimmee as a family-oriented destination,” the marketing outlet said in a release Thursday.
Jacksonville broke a string of four losing seasons in 2022 by going 9-8, won the AFC South Division and defeated the Los Angeles Chargers in an epic playoff game before falling to the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
The team and the city of Jacksonville recently began moving forward on plans to renovate TIAA Bank Field (formerly the Gator Bowl) during the 2025 and 2026 seasons. The team would need a temporary place to play those seasons, and Sports Illustrated noted a report that Camping World Stadium in Orlando, just up Florida’s Turnpike and I-4 from Kissimmee and St. Cloud, is in the running to host a few games, or those whole seasons. London (Wembley Stadium), Gainesville (Florida Field) and Daytona (a football configuration at Daytona International Speedway) are also in the running.
“We are eagerly anticipating the success that this partnership brings to Experience Kissimmee. Jacksonville holds an important drive and overnight market for us, and we are excited to increase our presence in the North Florida territory,” said Experience Kissimmee President/CEO DT Minich. “Not only will this collaboration boost domestic awareness, but it will also enhance our visibility among visitors from the UK.”
Experience Kissimmee will also be the Presenting Partner of the Jaguars Girls Flag Football Pre-Season Classic that brings more than 650 female athletes to TIAA Bank Field. The 2023 edition saw the largest participation to date and included the franchise’s inaugural Girls Flag Media Day.
“Experience Kissimmee takes pride in supporting the growth and development of female athletes and celebrates the increased visibility of their game,” said Jessica Beers, Executive Director of Kissimmee Sports Commission. “Here in Kissimmee, we work with many flag football events rights holders that include female athletes. Our active involvement in the game’s development is important as we strive to highlight the beautiful sports venues that exist in Kissimmee.”
Experience Kissimmee provided information for this report.
