With the onset of a new year, many look to the future as they prepare for the months to come. There’s new resolutions, new plans and opportunities to start fresh. It can be good to take a look back at the previous year, though.

2024 was a huge year for Sporting JAX. As the ball dropped in Times Square, Sporting JAX had existed for less than a month–in name at least. December 2023 saw the club’s brand launch, which in turn launched the club into the upcoming year with plenty of excitement.

The early months saw some smaller events, but May saw a critical announcement in the world of media. Sporting JAX announced a 3-year broadcast partnership with First Coast News, which birthed the Sporting JAX Report. Local media icon Cole Pepper has since occupied screens all over Northeast Florida weekly with the latest on the club and the soccer world. This deal also means that, when the time comes, Sporting JAX matches can be watched locally on First Coast News’ ABC25 and NBC12 affiliates.

Moving on, the Summer of Soccer lived up to its name. No matter what form of the sport you follow, odds are that Sporting JAX had you covered with a watch party. Whether it be COPA, UEFA Champions League or the EURO Final, these events provided plenty of excitement and interaction with fellow members of the soccer community.

The action made its way across the pond, as well. July saw English Premier League sides West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers FC square off in a familiar site for Jacksonville sports fans: EverBank Stadium. Wolves walked away with a 3-1 win, but Sporting JAX’s involvement with the match went far past the box score.

A month before the match took place, Sporting JAX and club co-owner Fred Taylor announced that they’d be hosting a youth clinic prior to kickoff at the Daily’s Place Flex Field. When the highly-anticipated day arrived, everyone got a quick reminder of the state they live in. In typical Florida summer fashion, an afternoon thunderstorm slammed the area. Unfortunately, the lightning caused the clinic to be cancelled due to safety concerns.

While the clinic’s cancellation was a bummer, there was still a match to be played. The thunderstorm proved to be more than a minor setback, continuing into the night. What was originally a 7 p.m. start got delayed two hours. It was wet and late, but a good crowd still showed out to take in the action on the pitch. The fans were rewarded with a fairly high-scoring battle, showcasing some of Europe’s best talent.

904. Northeast Florida has a certain affinity for this number: its area code. Every September, the community celebrates the day as an unofficial holiday. Sporting JAX got in on the fun, hosting season ticket depositors at the club’s office to ‘sign’ with the team, including food and a professional photo of their signing. Fans got to meet other fans, along with club leaders to discuss progress on the club’s mission.

October saw a bit of redemption as Sporting JAX hosted a youth soccer clinic, this time unimpeded by weather. It took place in the same venue as July’s, but before a different kind of football. The clinic was a great success, leading into the Jacksonville Jaguars’ defeat of the Indianapolis Colts.

Later that month, Sporting JAX hosted its second-annual High School Soccer Media Day. Student-athletes from all over the First Coast descended on the Riverside YMCA to preview their upcoming season. They were able to speak with local media, take photos and grab some lunch all while getting to catch up with their competitors.

November featured a major announcement involving the state’s largest youth soccer organization. Sporting JAX debuted a combination with Florida Elite Soccer Academy to create a true path-to-pro for local and regional footballers. The organization will continue its first-class operation, but will be rebranded to Sporting JAX Soccer Academy early in 2025.

Sporting JAX ended 2024 with perhaps its biggest announcement since its first one: when and where the club is going to pay. Hodges Stadium at UNF was declared the official home venue of Sporting JAX, with the club’s USL Super League side kicking off in August 2025. At long last, employees and fans alike have a date to hone in on. While this is still roughly eight months away, the work has been and is ongoing to make this happen at an elite level.

With the launch date approaching, it was naturally time to sell tickets. What were once deposits have now become true season tickets. Fans can not only lock in their place, but are able to pick where they’ll be sitting for the club’s inaugural season. For anyone who has either been a part of the process or just aware of its existence, it’s surreal to see the pieces coming together.

As with anything worthwhile, there is still work to be done. Sporting JAX remains committed to bringing the highest level of professional soccer to the First Coast and looks forward to another exciting year of firsts.