Florida-Georgia football rivalry to remain in Jacksonville for 2028-31 with payout raise

Posted by author November 1, 2024 Football

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Florida and Georgia signed a deal to keep their annual rivalry game in Jacksonville from at least 2028-31 on Friday.

The Gators and Bulldogs announced the terms on Friday, keeping the rivalry game in Jacksonville, where the matchup has been played in all but two seasons since 1933.

Florida and Georgia, who play on Saturday, are also guaranteed at least $10 million each from the City of Jacksonville in 2028 and 2029, with both programs’ payouts raising to $10.5 million in 2030 and 2031, according to financial terms released by the city to the Athens Banner-Herald on Friday.

“We are honored to extend the time-honored tradition of the Georgia-Florida rivalry game in Jacksonville for four more years. It is the result of many months of close collaboration with our partners at the University of Florida and the University of Georgia,” Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan said in the announcement. “There is shared excitement by all parties for the game to return to Jacksonville in the Stadium of the Future, which will be a world-class stadium that meets NFL standards, starting in 2028. We are grateful that this matchup will continue bringing our communities together to celebrate college football and drive economic impact.”

The rivalry has been played in Jacksonville annually since 1933, excluding two years due to stadium renovations. Florida-Georgia will play at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta in 2026 and Raymond James Stadium in Tampa in 2027. Georgia and Florida will both receive $1.5 million each from the City of Jacksonville in 2026 and 2027 despite not playing in the city, according to the Athens Banner-Herald.

“We do want to emphasize that this agreement structure is different than in years past, however, it provides the opportunity for the game to be profitable for the city as we now keep all the revenue for tickets, concessions, etc.,” Phillip Perry, chief communications officer for the City of Jacksonville, said in an email to the Athens Banner-Herald.

Georgia leads the series with a 55-44-2 all-time record, including wins in six of the last seven matchups. Florida’s last win over the Bulldogs came in 2020, when Dan Mullen was still the Gators coach.

Current Florida coach Billy Napier has yet to beat Georgia and is looking for his first win over the Bulldogs on Saturday.