Decision made on Georgia football game with Florida in Jacksonville
The annual Georgia football game with Florida will continue to be played in Jacksonville.
At least for the next two years after this season's matchup.
The schools announced Wednesday that, as expected, they have exercised the option to play the game for 2024 and 2025 in Jacksonville.
The schools were facing a June 30 deadline to notify the City of Jacksonville. That’s happening this week, according to an announcement by the schools.
“We are pleased with the decision to exercise the option that will keep the game in Jacksonville for 2024 and 2025,” Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks said. “We look forward to discussions that I’m sure will continue over the next couple years exploring all the options for 2026 and beyond. We continue to be appreciative of the working relationship we have with the University of Florida and the City of Jacksonville.”
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The Jacksonville Jaguars have plans in the works for a major stadium renovation project at TIAA Bank Field that could move the game out of the city for the 2026 and 2027 seasons.
That could give Georgia coach Kirby Smart what he has lobbied for publicly, to play the game on campus in Athens and Gainesville. That would give him another big recruiting weekend which he seeks once every two years.
Moving the game in those years to a neutral site like Atlanta or Orlando could also be options.
“The City of Jacksonville has been an historic host for one of the great rivalry games in all of college football,” Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin said. “We are excited to have the game in Jacksonville for another two seasons.”
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Keeping the game in Jacksonville is attractive to the schools for financial reasons. Georgia makes about $6 million more over a two-year period than if it were home-and-home.
The SEC rivalry has been played in Jacksonville since 1933 except in 1994 and 1995 when the stadium also underwent construction.
Georgia is in line to see its guarantee for the game go from $1.25 million now to $1.5 million in 2024 and 2025. That's on top of the ticket revenue. Georgia also receives $410,000 each year for travel costs, $400,000 for not setting up temporary north end bleachers in the stadium and a percentage of alcohol sales.
Outgoing Jacksonville mayor Lenny Curry said in a statement: "Jacksonville has been the proud home of the Georgia-Florida game since 1933. We are excited to welcome back the thousands of Dawgs and Gators to Jacksonville in 2024 and 2025. I want to thank the University of Georgia and University of Florida for their continued faith and investment in our city."
Donna Deegan, a Democrat who was elected Jacksonville's next mayor earlier this month, takes office on July 1.
The Georgia-Florida game this year is scheduled for Oct. 28.
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Here's what happens with the Georgia-Florida game for next two years
