Georgia, along with the University of Florida, announced Friday that the annual rivalry football game between the Bulldogs and Gators would return to Jacksonville in 2028.
And per contract details first reported by Marc Weiszer of the Athens Banner-Herald, Jacksonville was willing to pay big to keep the game.
In 2028 and 2029, Georgia and Florida each will receive a minimum guarantee of $10 million. For the 2030 and 2031 games, that guarantee rises to $10.5 million for both schools.
The city of Jacksonville also will pay Georgia and Florida $1.5 million each in the 2026 and 2027 seasons, when the games will be played in Atlanta and Tampa, respectively, because of a $1.4 billion renovation of the Jacksonville stadium.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has requested documents related to these agreements but had not received them as of 4 p.m. Friday.
Under the current contract, which runs through 2025, the city of Jacksonville gives a $1.5 million payment to each school, along with taking care of travel and lodging expenses. The schools also split the ticket revenue, with Georgia making about $6 million total from the weekend.
Georgia coach Kirby Smart was asked about the future of the rivalry earlier this week, before the details were confirmed.
“It’s been talked about and debated for a long time — for a while, since we’ve known the Jacksonville renovation was going to occur,” Smart said. “I think the parties involved did a great job of managing it. I think Jacksonville did a great job stepping up and making it worthwhile for both universities. I’m excited about the opportunity to play at two different locations, so that’ll be unique. Maybe we learn from those two experiences.”
Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks also gave an official statement on the continuation of the rivalry in a neutral venue.
“The annual Georgia-Florida game in Jacksonville is one of the greatest traditions in college sports, and we are excited the game will return to EverBank Stadium in 2028,” Brooks said. “We are fortunate to have a pair of exceptional venues in Atlanta and Tampa that will host the game for the next two years as the Georgia-Florida matchup joins a long line of major events to take place in those two cities, which have hosted both the Super Bowl and the College Football Playoff (Championship game). Our goal, as always, is to create a first-class experience for our student-athletes, staff and fans, and this temporary move, along with the stadium renovations in Jacksonville, will only enhance the storied Georgia-Florida rivalry.”
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