New Five Year Contract Extension Keeping The Annual Florida- Georgia Game In Jacksonville Almost Finalized

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New Five Year Contract Extension Keeping The Annual Florida- Georgia Game In Jacksonville Almost Finalized

by 904 Newsroom
May 22, 2017
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On Tuesday, The city council will be voting to approve a new five-year deal to host the Florida-Georgia football game. The new 5 year contract includes a $2.7 million guaranteed payout to both universities.

The new five-year contract will guarantee over $2.75 million in incentives over the life of the contract and will also give each school a $125,000 signing bonus” and $250,000 for the yearly October meeting before the game. The added benefits are part of the city’s effort to keep the rivalry game in Jacksonville, a long-time tradition that city officials estimate delivers an annual $30 million economic impact.

The Gators and Bulldogs will also get a increase of $10,000 to their travel and lodging raising their overall totals from $50,000 to $60,000. Georgia will also receive up to $350,000 from the city for air travel to the game. Both schools will receive full ticket revenue, which will be split evenly, and will not have to pay Everbank Field. To play the event there. The city will also cover the cost of game-day operations and has the rights to operate concessions.

The new contract will also require the city to give its “best effort” to install two signs inside EverBank Field that say it is the home of this annual SEC East rivalry game. The city will also install 15,000 temporary seats to meet the contract’s required minimum seating count.