Florida-Georgia neutral-site deal and NFL stadium money reshape college football scheduling
The annual Florida-Georgia rivalry game, temporarily relocated to Atlanta in 2026 and Tampa in 2027 while Jacksonville's EverBank Stadium undergoes a $1.4 billion-plus renovation, illustrates the growing financial pressure on college football programs to move games to larger NFL venues. According to the report, Jacksonville is paying both universities $1.5 million each for 2026 and 2027 despite the game not being played there, with payments rising to $10 million apiece when the game returns in 2028 and 2029, and $10.5 million each in 2030 and 2031. Georgia Tech separately accepted a $10 million payment to move its rivalry game against Georgia to Mercedes-Benz Stadium last year, and Auburn shifted a season opener to the same venue, drawing fan backlash. Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin and Georgia coach Kirby Smart have both expressed reservations about expanding neutral-site games, but an economics professor quoted in the piece argues that NFL stadium owners have strong financial incentives to fill their facilities with college football events.
Jacksonville being a border town, there's just a lot of history and tradition," Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin told Yahoo Sports.
Why it matters
For brands: NFL stadium operators and corporate sponsors gain major exposure opportunities as high-profile college rivalry games rotate through large-market venues.
For coaches: Neutral-site games disrupt preparation routines and limit on-campus recruiting windows, yet the financial incentives make them increasingly difficult to avoid.
For media: Rotating neutral-site matchups in major markets like Atlanta and Tampa expand broadcast footprints and could affect rights deals tied to specific venues.
For athletes: Players and recruits may be affected by games moving off campus, which coaches like Kirby Smart argue disrupts routine and on-campus recruiting.
Read the full story at Yahoo Sports college football
Sources
- Yahoo Sports college football · Jay Busbee: College football's traditions are for sale. Florida-Georgia shows the multi-million-dollar price tag