Jacksonville Sharks (WFL)

For the indoor football team, see Jacksonville Sharks. For the subsequent Jacksonville WFL team, see Jacksonville Express.

Jacksonville Sharks

Established| January 1974
Folded| September 1974
Based in| Jacksonville, Florida
Home field| Gator Bowl Stadium
Head coach| Bud Asher
Charlie Tate
Owner(s)| Fran Monaco
League| World Football League
Division| Eastern
Colours| Black and silver

The Jacksonville Sharks were a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida which competed in the World Football League in 1974. The Sharks folded during the 1974 season due to financial difficulties, and were succeeded by the Jacksonville Express which also folded when the league ceased operations during the 1975 season.

## History

[edit]

The Sharks were one of the original franchises of the World Football League, a failed attempt to launch a major professional football league in the United States in competition with the National Football League. In 1974, the team played seven home games at the Gator Bowl Stadium in Jacksonville. The Sharks roster was a mixture of rookies such as Mike Townsend, Eddie McAshan and Reggie Oliver, and veterans like Ike Lassiter, John Stofa, Drew Buie, and former University of Florida All-American lineman Larry Gagner. Six weeks into the season, the team had a 2–4 record, and owner Fran Monaco fired head coach Bud Asher—who had actually loaned Monaco $27,000 a few weeks earlier in order to meet payroll. The Sharks did not improve under new coach Charlie Tate, however, losing six of their remaining eight games.

Despite their mediocre play on the field, the Sharks reported that they were second in the league in attendance. The front office claimed to have sold 18,000 season tickets, and listed attendance numbers of 59,112 for the home opener against the New York Stars and 46,780 for their second home game against the Southern California Sun. However, in a similar situation to that in Philadelphia, the club later admitted to giving away 44,000 tickets for the first two games and distributing many thousands more free or sharply discounted tickets for subsequent home games.[1] As with several WFL teams, declining real ticket sales coupled with uncontrolled spending led to serious cash flow problems. The team also dealt with some infrastructure problems: while on national television, the power failed at the Gator Bowl during the team's game against the New York Stars on July 11, forcing the game to be delayed while power was restored to the lights.

Monaco tried to sell the team to New York financier William Pease; however, after it emerged that Pease was under indictment regarding a Connecticut land deal, the WFL took over the franchise on September 22. The players, who had not been paid for over a month, threatened not to fly to Anaheim to play the Southern California Sun. League Commissioner Gary Davidson paid them $65,000 in escrow and the players made the trip. A week later, after vetoing several prospective owners, the WFL folded the team (as well as the hapless Detroit Wheels), and the Sharks' last six games were cancelled.

Today, the name is used by the National Arena League's Jacksonville Sharks, which began play in the Arena Football League in 2010.

## Schedule and results

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Key: | Win | Loss | Bye

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### 1974 regular season

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Week[2] | Day  | Date  | Opponent  | Result  | Attendance

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1  | Thursday  | July 11, 1974  | New York Stars | W 14–7  | 59,112
2  | Wednesday  | July 17, 1974  | at Chicago Fire | L 22–25  | 29,308
3  | Wednesday  | July 24, 1974  | Southern California Sun | L 19–21  | 46,780
4  | Wednesday  | July 31, 1974  | at New York Stars | L 16–24  | 15,648
5  | Thursday  | August 8, 1974  | Hawaiians | W 21–14  | 43,869
6  | Wednesday  | August 14, 1974  | at Florida Blazers | L 26–33  | 23,890
7  | Wednesday  | August 21, 1974  | Birmingham Americans | L 14–15  | 27,140
8  | Sunday  | August 25, 1974  | at Hawaiians | W 14–8  | 10,099
9  | Monday  | September 2, 1974  | Memphis Southmen | L 13–16  | 22,169
10  | Thursday  | September 5, 1974  | Philadelphia Bell | W 34–30  | 17,851
11  | Wednesday  | September 11, 1974  | at Philadelphia Bell | L 22–41 (OT)  | N/A
12  | Wednesday  | September 18, 1974  | Portland Storm | L 17–19  | 16,041
13  | Wednesday  | September 25, 1974  | at Southern California Sun | L 7–57  | 22,017
14  | Wednesday  | October 2, 1974  | at Memphis Southmen | L 19–47  | 15,016
15  | Wednesday  | October 9, 1974  | Florida Blazers |  | cancelled
16  | Wednesday  | October 16, 1974  | at Portland Storm |  | cancelled
17  | Wednesday  | October 23, 1974  | at Birmingham Americans |  | cancelled
18  | Wednesday  | October 30, 1974  | Detroit Wheels |  | cancelled
19  | Wednesday  | November 6, 1974  | at Shreveport Steamer |  | cancelled
20  | Wednesday  | November 13, 1974  | Chicago Fire |  | cancelled

## See also

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* 1974 World Football League season
* Jacksonville Express

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "St. Petersburg Times - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
2. ^ "1974 World Football League Game Results". Retrieved 2015-11-11.

* v
* t
* e

World Football League

Teams|

| 1974|

* Birmingham Americans
* New York Stars / Charlotte Hornets
* Chicago Fire
* Detroit Wheels
* Florida Blazers
* The Hawaiians
* Jacksonville Sharks
* Memphis Southmen
* Philadelphia Bell
* Portland Storm
* Houston Texans / Shreveport Steamer
* Southern California Sun

|

1975|

* Birmingham Vulcans
* Charlotte Hornets
* Chicago Winds
* The Hawaiians
* Jacksonville Express
* Memphis Southmen
* Philadelphia Bell
* Portland Thunder
* San Antonio Wings
* Shreveport Steamer
* Southern California Sun

Commissioners|

* Gary Davidson
* Christopher Hemmeter

Misc.|

* World Bowl I
* Dicker-rod
* Canadian Football Act
* Mid-South Grizzlies v. NFL
* 1974 season
* 1975 season

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