Getty ImagesNew Jaguars owner Shad Khan has said he plans to make a difference in Jacksonville. And he’s putting his money where his handlebar mustache is.
The Jaguars have made a $1 million commitment to help veterans assimilate back into the community after returning from service. The team also will take a leadership role in the effort.
“In my short time in Jacksonville I have seen the impact and the importance of the military here in this community,” Khan said. “We’re honored to be able to help support and assist members of the military upon their return. We owe them a debt of gratitude for their loyal and selfless service to protect us and our freedoms, and we hope this commitment will benefit many veterans in their pursuit of training, jobs, housing and quality of life with their families.”
It’s a great gesture by the Jaguars, and it should make folks in Jacksonville feel even better about the transition from team founder Wayne Weaver to Khan.
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wow, good stuff Khan.
A drop in the pond but hey it’s at least something.
I have to say, Shahid Khan is turning out to be one of the better owners.
Sorry, but if you have to make a spectacle that you did it it wasn’t a selfless act. Sure they are glad to get the money and will be beneficial. However, it becomes a $1M tax write off PR scheme to put people in the stands when you draw the media into it.
I really like Khan. He is quite flamboyant but he seems like an easy going guy. That’s a good change from the other stiff GMs out there.
This man is setting the example that the others will criticize in about 5 seconds. How bad does it make them look for him to be so charitable? They will simply not stand for it !!! One thing for sure he’s not GOP. They will call him anti-capitalist. Why, giving money away is down right un-American.
trojanwarrior007 says: May 11, 2012 2:34 PM
A drop in the pond but hey it’s at least something.
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By comparison, the entire NFL donated $1 million for Katrina relief. Math is not your strong subject – I hope.
Outstanding…..It might be a small amount to him but will make a big difference to many people. I take back all the bad things I said about you (for now)
He should have bought the Dolphins..
How about another million or more to retired players pensions and healthcare benefits.
Seems like a good man. Cool stache too!
As a vet, this is greatly appreciated. Some of those guys come back with some serious injuries, and a lot of times its stuff you can’t physically see
Let’s go Jags!
He’s All-In.
We Kahn do it!
The Jaguars organization has always been strongly supportive of the military in Jacksonville, which is a big Navy town. They’ve provided a large section of one end zone to the USO, making game day tickets available really cheaply for active duty military at local bases.
A couple of seasons ago, people who couldn’t make it to home games asked the team about donating their tickets to the USO so military members could see games for free. It became so popular, there’s now an option to do it on your ticket management form on the team website. Lots of local folks have even purchased entire season tickets just to donate them to the USO.
We have a military flyover at just about every game, retired and active vets are honored on the field at every home game, and the military is always a part of pre-game ceremonies. Once a year, a re-enlistment ceremony is held at halftime for large numbers of local service people re-upping.
I’m glad to see that Mr. Khan is going to continue this outreach, and adding to it.
Your Doing it Right Jags
Jax is a huge military town with multiple Navy bases. It’s hard to find someone in this city not associated with the armed forces in someway or another. Wounded Warrior Project is HQ’d in Jax I believe too.
A great move by Khan!
It’s not just the $1 million itself, but in putting that money out there, they’ve implicitly put forth a challenge to the rest of the teams to step up as well.
Taking that initiative may ultimately result in more money than just that $1 million being offered up.
This move in addition to him pumping millions into upgrading the team’s facilities are helping to show Khan’s committment to Jacksonville. Much to the delight of Jaguar fans and to the chagrin of sportswriters everywhere.
Good karma! Go Jags.
He is also offering free mustache rides to all of the Jags’ cheerleading staff.
“One thing for sure he’s not GOP. They will call him anti-capitalist. Why, giving money away is down right un-American.”
Actually, no. Khan *chose* to give his own money to a charitable cause. What most fiscal conservatives – including Democrats – are against is using force of government (and it is force, you don’t want to see what the IRS will do to you) to take money from someone and give it to someone else, against that person’s will. I give hundreds to charity each year, but I’m still against my money being taken from me to give to someone else. If I want to give it away to someone else, that should be my choice, and I should get to choose who gets it.
Please don’t try starting something political when it’s obvious your politics end with partisan talking points.
(Full disclosure: I’m Non-Party Affiliated known in Florida for causing issues for the RPOF by holding them accountable, and this morning I’ve been cheering on our Democrat mayor for not wasting money on new courthouse furniture where we already have furniture that can just be moved.) So you can shove all claims of “Well you’re just a GOP shill!” into the same area that you’re pulling “facts” from.
Fantastic gesture. Though I’m sure the people in Pakistan won’t be happy to hear the Tomahawk missile that takes out an insurgent camp there was paid for by one of their countrymen.
“Sorry, but if you have to make a spectacle that you did it it wasn’t a selfless act. Sure they are glad to get the money and will be beneficial. However, it becomes a $1M tax write off PR scheme to put people in the stands when you draw the media into it.”
Hooray for more Jags-bashing, I knew I could find some!
Just because the media reports on something (that can’t really be hidden, because a million is a lot of money), that doesn’t mean it was a PR stunt and that they were trying to make a spectacle of it. In fact, I didn’t even know about this until PFT reported on it. They aren’t linking to any article, and I just tried searching Google News and am not seeing anything about it. I can’t even find anything on Jacksonville.com (the local newspaper’s site) about this story. That’s how much of a “spectacle” it was.
I did find the following in an article introducing the new owner from last year:
“Like the Weavers, Khan and his wife have been philanthropists in their community, particularly the University of Illinois. Khan came to the United States to attend the college and earn an engineering degree.
Most recently, the couple made a $10 million donation for the Khan Annex to Huff Hall, home to the university’s college of Applied Health Sciences.
“One of the great joys of my life is making money,” Khan said at the September dedication ceremony. “ … What makes it even better is to use it to make a difference.”
Sturtevant said the Khans have given millions to other causes: the performing arts center, college of business, five endowed professorships and the city’s public library. The Khan name is on the school’s outdoor tennis complex.
“Shad has always been one of the go-to people in the community,” said Kent Brown, sports information director at the university. “He’s absolutely top-drawer, a great citizen and a great person.””
So the man has a history of giving money to the community. But hey, no one with money can be charitable without it having sinister purposes, right?
trojanwarrior007 says:
May 11, 2012 2:34 PM
A drop in the pond but hey it’s at least something.
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More than the other pompous ass owners are doing.
niubears says:
May 11, 2012 3:15 PM
Jax is a huge military town with multiple Navy bases. It’s hard to find someone in this city not associated with the armed forces in someway or another. Wounded Warrior Project is HQ’d in Jax I believe too.
A great move by Khan!
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Wounded Warrior Project is HQ’d in Washington DC, right down the street from the White House.\
Great move by Khan for sure though.
daysend564 said – “Sorry, but if you have to make a spectacle that you did it it wasn’t a selfless act. Sure they are glad to get the money and will be beneficial. However, it becomes a $1M tax write off PR scheme to put people in the stands when you draw the media into it.”
When did Khan make it a spectacle? The mayor made it public not Khan. Nobody said Khan’s action was selfless. Khan said the service members were selfless. You know nothing of Khan and his sincere support of Jacksonville & the Jaguars.
I read the headline & thought it meant he was giving $1 million to Football veterans… you know like a concussion fund.
I’ve waited half a decade for a column about the Jaguars on this site that didn’t contain the words, “Los Angeles”, “Tarps”, or “Blackouts.” Now that it’s here, it feels sort of anti-climactic.
Khan is a good man, as the people of North Florida are quickly realizing. He’s already engineered the wildly popular selection of Justin Blackmon and now he’s done something for a strongly patriotic community and fanbase. Good for Mr. Khan.
I’m the biggest pessimist in all of Jaguars Nation, but even I am starting to come around.
A very nice thing to do! People can argue tax right offs and publicity stunts ect. The end result is that money is getting to people and family’s that can use it! IMO one reason it would seem he is being public about it is, to entice other owners to partake in doing the same.
Kudos to to Khan and Jags fans. I hope more owners can do things like this
Way to be Khan! Who knows how many veterans that could end up helping?
How I wish he had bought the Rams. He would have made sure they stayed in St Louis instead of our beloved owner who is prepping to move the team west
Good Job Khan!! GO JAGS!!!!!
footballfan84 why should have he brought the Fins ? He is the perfect owner for the Teal & Black and a active owner outgoing Just what we needed he is revitalizing the city of Jacksonville & Jaguars.
Why make fun of his mustache if you like what he did?