Weaver, who’s 64, moved more than just his office South. His business smarts have proved remarkably transferable from the world of spiked heels to that of gridiron spikes. Under Weaver’s leadership, the Jags have tinkered with everything from player contracts to ticket prices. And by just about any measure, the Weaver playbook is working. The Jaguars have been the most successful expansion franchise in NFL history, making the playoffs every year since their second season in 1996. The team also turned profitable in 1998. Sports Illustrated picked the Jags to win the Super Bowl this year.
Weaver helped pull off some fancy footwork early on: the team built a new stadium in less than 20 months for a total of $145 million, $124 million of that funded by the city–quick and inexpensive by league standards. He decided the general manager’s role was at odds with the coach’s, so there is no Jaguars GM.
To keep players focused on football rather than money, the team signs players early by pitching them fair, rather than low-ball, offers. That way the Jags set, rather than react to, the market for player salaries, and training camp doesn’t get disrupted by last-minute deals. The team has a good record spotting talent–quarterback Mark Brunell was Brett Favre’s backup at Green Bay before Jacksonville acquired him. Brunell is now one of the NFL’s top-rated passers.
The Jags also push for longer contracts than most teams, and sign key players to contract extensions before they can test free agency. When the Jags grabbed offensive tackle Tony Boselli as their first-round draft pick in 1995, they agreed to pay him $17 million over six years. After his fourth year, the Jags offered the star lineman a four-year extension for $27 million to make sure he remains a Jag.
Weaver’s fingerprints are all over the stadium. The Jags were the first NFL team to ban tobacco ads from the stadium. There’s a Family Fun Zone where cursing, as well as alcohol, is prohibited. He instituted a wider range of ticket prices to better match different views from the stands.
But Weaver leaves football operations to others. “You tend to think you know more about this game than you really do,’’ he says. “I’ve managed my ego and realize I really don’t have anything to contribute.''
Even with all the time he devotes to the team, Weaver still runs a couple of footwear businesses, including Shoe Carnival. But football comes first. “This is just more fun,’’ he says. That’s lucky for the Jags, since this former shoe salesman’s business skills have turned out to be a perfect fit.
