"Obviously home games, we suffer a little bit just because a lot of people go to the stadium," Scott Perry, owner of Jax Beach Bar and Grill, told First Coast News in May, while the city was still weighing a plan to let bars spread outdoors during Jaguars games.
The plan passed, and it applies to home games. In 2026 those are the game days when the beach loses part of its football crowd to EverBank Stadium. Five months later, bartenders along the beach say their fuller rooms come on away-game days. The pilot doesn't really line up with this season. It was written for next season, when the Jaguars' home games move to Orlando and the closest seat to the action for a lot of locals becomes a barstool near the ocean.
What the Council Approved in June
The Jacksonville Beach City Council passed the ordinance amendment 4–3 on second reading on June 1, 2026, News4JAX reported. It creates a two-year pilot that lets some bars and restaurants temporarily expand their outdoor capacity on Jaguars game days.
Local news coverage of the rules spells out these terms:
- When: from one hour before kickoff until one hour after the game ends.
- How often: businesses could already expand capacity up to two times a year. The pilot adds up to six more occasions.
- How many: no more than six temporary permits per home game, first-come, first-served.
- Conditions: fencing and a security guard if alcohol is served outdoors, a parking plan, and valet or similar transportation if an expansion takes over parking spaces.
- Sound and drinks: no added amplified sound beyond the game broadcast, and existing laws still apply, including the ban on open containers outside the premises.
- Duration: August 1, 2026 through the end of the Jaguars' 2026 season, then August 1, 2027 through the end of the 2027 season.
This is general information drawn from local news coverage, not legal advice. Business owners should confirm the current requirements directly with the City of Jacksonville Beach.
Why Home Games Set Off the Change
The reason for the pilot is the stadium itself. The Jaguars' stadium FAQ lists 2026 capacity at EverBank Stadium as 42,465, with 27,308 seats offline during construction, including 22,005 in the 400-level upper bowl. A February 2026 team update projected a slightly different 42,507, standing-room tickets included. By either count, the stadium holds about 42,500 people this season, so tens of thousands of fans who might otherwise be in the building are watching somewhere else.
First Coast News described the approved ordinance as covering Jaguars home games during the renovation and during the team's temporary move to Orlando in 2027. The Jaguars confirm that Orlando's Camping World Stadium hosts the 2027 season, not this one. This season also had two London games, against Philadelphia at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 11 and against Houston at Wembley on October 18.
One fan in an Action News Jax report from October 4, Daniel Frandsen, said he used to hold season tickets but didn't renew them this year. "I'm actually out here almost every game now," he told the station.
The Away-Game Crowd Got Here First
The same Action News Jax story shows where the beach's football traffic actually lands. "Away games definitely have a bigger crowd," Gemal Irvin of Ginger's said. Away games fall outside the pilot entirely. On those days, bars work with the space they already have.
Physical space limits some businesses too. Ginger's can't expand onto the sidewalk because the city owns it, so the staff has leaned on game-day specials instead, the station reported. Owner Candy Breidert said the expected influx had been "a little slow on the uptick." At Lynch's, Heather Rooney described regulars arriving early to claim a spot. She said things had "kind of stayed consistent," with people trying to get to the stadium while they still can before the team leaves next year.
At Jax Beach Bar and Grill, which Perry reopened in March, general manager Tory Tyson told First Coast News this month that extra seating could help the business reach more people. "We are kind of the new bar on the block," he said. He described a recent game as "kind of like a home game here."
So this season, the rule and the crowd follow two different calendars. The extra patio space is allowed on home dates, and rooms tend to fill on away dates.
The Rest of 2026, Sorted by Which Rules Apply
After their October 25 bye, the Jaguars have a mix of home dates at EverBank and road games, according to the team's official schedule.
| Date | Opponent | Where | Kickoff (ET) | Pilot expansion allowed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun., Nov. 1 | Indianapolis Colts | EverBank Stadium | 1:00 p.m. | Yes, home game |
| Thu., Nov. 5 | Baltimore Ravens | M&T Bank Stadium | 8:15 p.m. | No, away |
| Sun., Nov. 15 | Tennessee Titans | Nissan Stadium | 1:00 p.m. | No, away |
| Sun., Nov. 22 | New York Giants | MetLife Stadium | 1:00 p.m. | No, away |
| Sun., Nov. 29 | Tennessee Titans | EverBank Stadium | 4:05 p.m. | Yes, home game |
| Sun., Dec. 6 | Chicago Bears | Soldier Field | 1:00 p.m. | No, away |
| Mon., Dec. 14 | Pittsburgh Steelers | EverBank Stadium | 8:15 p.m. | Yes, home game |
| Sun., Dec. 20 | Houston Texans | Houston | 1:00 p.m. | No, away |
| Sun., Dec. 27 | Dallas Cowboys | AT&T Stadium | 8:20 p.m. | No, away |
| Week 17, TBD | Washington Commanders | EverBank Stadium | TBD | Yes, home game |
| Week 18, TBD | Indianapolis Colts | Lucas Oil Stadium | TBD | No, away |
The November 1 Colts game is the first home date left on the list. The Thanksgiving-weekend Titans game kicks off at 4:05 p.m., so the pilot window runs from 3:05 p.m. until an hour after the final whistle. The December 14 game against Pittsburgh is a Monday night home game, which puts the expanded hours on a weeknight. The pilot allows up to six permits per home game, so on any of these dates, expect at most a handful of fenced-in outdoor areas rather than a block-long party. Seven of the remaining games are on the road, and those dates follow the usual rules.
2027 Is the Season the Pilot Was Written For
Next fall, the Jaguars play their home games at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. The pilot's second run, from August 1, 2027 through the end of that season, will apply on home-game days when the game itself is being played in Orlando. The thing Perry described in May, the stadium pulling crowds away from beach businesses, mostly goes away for a year. Rooney is already preparing for it. "Once that shut down," she told Action News Jax, getting into Lynch's will be hard.
That's why this fall matters even with modest numbers. Council Member Dan Janson told First Coast News the city would watch the program closely. "The key here is it's a pilot program," he said, adding that if security becomes a problem, "we can shut it down." Council Member Sandy Golding, who voted no, said residents tell her they "want less alcohol-related events here in Jax Beach." Janson answered that a lot of people come out for the food as well. The quieter 2026 home dates give both sides real evidence before the season when the stadium is out of reach.
The remaining 2026 home dates are November 1, November 29, December 14 and a Week 17 date against Washington that hasn't been set yet. Each one is a small test run for a busier 2027.
Our agents have watched game-day Sundays at the beach for decades, and next season will look different from any before it. If you own property near the bars and restaurants downtown and want to talk through what changing foot traffic means for a sale, a rental or day-to-day management, the team at RiverPoint Real Estate is glad to help. A good place to start is our Get Your Free Home Valuation tool.
