Discover all the spectator sports that Jacksonville offers. This northeastern Florida city hosts a variety of sporting events, including golf, football, baseball, and soccer, throughout the year. For a unique experience, consider venturing to the outskirts of town and attending a clay shooting tournament. Whatever type of sporting event you’re looking for, you’ll likely find it in Jacksonville.
Football at EverBank Field
Image via Flickr by Joe Shlabotnic
Watch football year-round at EverBank Field. EverBank Field is home to the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League, but hosts other sporting events, including professional soccer and college football, all year long. The indoor arena’s video scoreboard is the largest one in the league, standing over 60 feet high and 360 feet long.
EverBank Field is located in downtown Jacksonville and is close to shops, bars, restaurants, and hotels. Select a hotel near the stadium so you can catch all the games. Visitors to the area will find budget-friendly lodging as well as luxury accommodations close to the stadium.
THE PLAYERS Championship at Sawgrass
Image via Flickr by Seth Lemmons
Every May, the Tournament Players Club at Sawgrass hosts THE PLAYERS Championship. Owned by the PGA TOUR, this championship tournament is one of the golfing world’s most anticipated events and coveted titles. It typically includes the top 50 golfers in the world and offers the biggest prize amount of any golf tournament.
THE PLAYERS Championship at Sawgrass takes place about 15 miles southeast of downtown Jacksonville in Ponte Vedra Beach.
Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp Minor League Baseball Team
Image via Flickr by thatlostdog–
The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp AA baseball team is an affiliate of the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball. The Jumbo Shrimp play at The Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville from April to September. The 11,000-seat stadium boasts an old-fashioned design that offers excellent sight lines and features high-definition scoreboards, luxury skyboxes, and a Tiki bar. Enjoy the fireworks the stadium hosts after every Friday night home game.
The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp’s stadium is centrally located close to downtown and is a short distance from a variety of shops, bars, restaurants, and hotels.
Clay Shooting Tournament
Image via Flickr by gfairchild
While clay shooting tournaments aren’t the most sought-after spectator sporting events, they offer visitors a fun and unique experience. Clay shooting is a fast-paced, highly entertaining activity that will keep observers engaged for hours as they watch competitors attempt to shoot clay targets out of the sky. Even if you’ve never heard of the sport, you’re sure to enjoy the lively atmosphere and friendly competition a clay shooting tournament offers.
WW Sporting Clays, a fully automated sporting range, regularly hosts tournaments that are open to the public. The facility is located on the outskirts of Jacksonville and is a short drive from downtown.
While Jacksonville is known for its miles of beautiful white-sand beaches, it has much more to offer than a fun day at the beach. Visitors to the area should take advantage of the variety of spectator sports Jacksonville offers throughout the year. Sports fans are sure to enjoy the diverse range of activities the city offers.
