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Florida-Georgia football series staying in Jacksonville through 2031 with new deal

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 02: A general view of TIAA Bank Field during a game between the Florida Gators and the Georgia Bulldogs on November 02, 2019 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) (ME, 2019 Getty Images)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Florida-Georgia game is staying in Jacksonville through 2031, the city announced on Friday morning, keeping the longstanding game where it’s been played since the 1930s.

The agreement covers the series from 2028-2031 after EverBank Stadium has been revamped as the “Stadium of the Future.”

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“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 a statement.

“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.”

Terms of the new agreement were not released.

The existing deal that runs through the 2025 game gave each team $1.5 million plus a 50-50 split of the ticket revenue. Keeping the game in town is said by city officials to bring $30 million in economic impact to Jacksonville during game week.

The game will be played in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2026 during stadium renovations and in Tampa in 2027.

“The Florida-Georgia Game has enjoyed a longstanding and special relationship with the City of Jacksonville, and we are pleased to continue one of college football’s great traditions there in 2028 once the impressive renovations to EverBank Stadium are complete,” said Gators athletic director Scott Stricklin in a release.

“For 2026 and 2027, the chance to continue the neutral site history of the series, while also maximizing revenue opportunities that are so critical during this transformative time in college athletics, make playing games in Atlanta and Tampa incredibly attractive. Both cities are special to Gator fans and offer venues that will provide wonderful experiences for both fans and players.”

The Bulldogs and Gators face off on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

“The annual Georgia-Florida game in Jacksonville is one of the greatest traditions in college sports, and we are excited the game will return to EverBank Stadium in 2028,” Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks said in a statement. “We are fortunate to have a pair of exceptional venues in Atlanta and Tampa that will host the game for the next two years as the Georgia-Florida matchup joins a long line of major events to take place in those two cities, which have hosted both the Super Bowl and the College Football Playoff National Championship. Our goal, as always, is to create a first-class experience for our student-athletes, staff and fans, and this temporary move, along with the stadium renovations in Jacksonville, will only enhance the storied Georgia-Florida rivalry.”


About the Author
Justin Barney headshot

Justin Barney joined News4Jax in February 2019, but he’s been covering sports on the First Coast for more than 20 years.

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