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Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier and Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart talk before the game at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, FL on Saturday, October 29, 2022. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun] Ncaa Football Florida Gators Vs Georgia Bulldogs
Upcoming renovations to EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville have put the future of the Florida-Georgia rivalry in a state of limbo for the past few years, but now the universities are narrowing down their options to keep the annual matchup at a neutral site.
On Tuesday, Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan teased an announcement that could come “very soon,” according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. On Wednesday, Seth Emerson of The Athletic reported that Atlanta and Tampa will host the game in 2026 and 2027, respectively, presumable at Mercedez-Benz Stadium and Raymond James Stadium.
Brett McMurphy of Action Network confirmed the report, citing his own sources. Neither school nor the SEC has made an announcement yet, but this was the expected outcome from the beginning. Orlando was another city under consideration, using Camping World Stadium.
There was some talk of moving the game on campus in a home-and-home format, but considering the operational costs, the neutral site game brings in far more money for both schools. It’s also an opportunity for both teams to bring in recruits, regardless of who the home team is.
“Kirby and I both agree that it would be awesome to play a home-and-home but we also know that there’s a tremendous amount of revenue created by having this game at a neutral site,” Florida coach Billy Napier said Wednesday on the SEC teleconference. “Money makes the world go round and certainly, the amount of revenue, there’s a significant difference in the revenue that’s generated.
“We play in Jacksonville, there’s a historical context to that…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/florida-georgia-rivalry-finalizing-venues-172940115.html
Author : Gators Wire
Publish date : 2024-10-30 17:29:40
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