Georgia-Florida game should take turns on campus
Yes, this is a cool scene. But it leaves me feeling half-empty. (Elissa Eubanks/AJC)
Just once I would like to see a decision made in college athletics that is based on something other than money.
I bring this up now because the UGA Athletic Association board is scheduled to hold one of its quarterly meetings Wednesday, and there is a familiar topic on the agenda: Where to play the Georgia-Florida game. The contract with Jacksonville runs through 2010, and given that everybody is making a lot of money — a factor at least as important as “tradition,” despite what you may hear — I suspect that’s where the game will stay.
But it shouldn’t. At least not every year. The Georgia-Florida game should be held every other year on the Georgia or Florida campus.
I know. What a novel idea, right? College football on an actual college campus.
This isn’t about some perceived home-field advantage the Gators have playing the game in Jacksonville. Florida has won most of the time in the past two decades because it has had the better team — not because the Gators can bus to the game. And I certainly don’t see the attraction to holding the game at the Georgia Dome, just for the sake of moving it over the border once in a while.
This is about what college football truly is supposed to be about: the campus atmosphere, the student section, the home-field advantage with a small section or two of visiting fans dwarfed by everybody else in the stadium.
Georgia and Florida have a sweet deal with Jacksonville. The schools make more money there than if the game was moved on campus. But let’s get real here. The SEC has a $2.25 billion contract with ESPN and an $825 million contract with CBS. In short, the conference already is sharing $205 million a year with member institutions before anybody sells a ticket or a sponsorship or begins fundraising.
Seriously, is another estimated $1 million a year to have the game in Jacksonville that big of a deal?
My plan: Keep the game in Jacksonville every other year. Then in alternate seasons, have the game on campus. That would put in once in Athens every four seasons, and once in Gainesville in a similar rotation. Everybody wins. The tradition of Jacksonville is preserved, and so is the real tradition of college football.
But my guess is that the spirit of Gordon Gekko wins out.
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251 comments Add your comment
schultz is mighty smart
September 23rd, 2009
11:01 am
In the business world, when you hear “we do that because we have always done it that way”,it means that it is an old outdated system, needing to be updated. Your idea makes as much sense as any. Not all the students can afford to make the trip to JAX. For the old farts who want a mini fall vacation, why not move it Hawaii, to satisifiy the “old guard”.
REAL FAN
September 23rd, 2009
11:01 am
If you care about the dawgs winning games at all, you will want this game played in our stadium every other year. If you dont care about winning games, shut the hell up!!!!
HOME
September 23rd, 2009
11:02 am
Enter your comments here
AWAY
September 23rd, 2009
11:03 am
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HOME
September 23rd, 2009
11:03 am
,,,,,,,,,,,
AWAY
September 23rd, 2009
11:04 am
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WOW!
September 23rd, 2009
11:04 am
WHAT A GREAT EFFING IDEA!!!!!
SCREW JACKSONVILLE
September 23rd, 2009
11:07 am
All you idiots can keep spending your money to go all the way down there and have a grand ole time watching the DAWGS LOSE! Not my idea of a good time.
TS
September 23rd, 2009
11:07 am
You bulldawgs sound like a bunch of Nancy’s. Huge mistake if this game is taken out of Jacksonville. Good luck pulling anothe recruit out of the state of FL if this happens. Duval county is a hot bed of hs football talent. I would be really shocked if it happens. Then again, if you have the whiniest fan base in college fb you will cry until you get your way. Grow some nuts and start winning.
Racine Dawg
September 23rd, 2009
11:11 am
The game in jacksonville is just another home game for florida. They always end up with more fans, and usually Georgia gets hosed by the refs, leading to defeat. Georgia needs to move this game to atlanta or athens every other year, and keep most tickets, giving florida only a few thousand! Somethings got to be done to stop this long period of losing.
GatorGuy
September 23rd, 2009
11:13 am
GGTOG&THWGT , your assessment of Gainesville is biased and ignorant.
AceDawg
September 23rd, 2009
11:14 am
TS – Being as we’d alternate games btwn the state of GA and FL in one format or another, we’d not lose the recruiting opportunities you speak of. It is more about distance than location, and the GA Dome is about the same distance from UGA as Jacksonville is from UF, so an alternating format clearly makes sense in equalizing the rivalry. UGA was stated as practically having a home game when playing two SEC championships in the Dome, as well as the Sugar Bowl there several years ago, despite the “neutral” field. Playing in Jville isn’t the main reason UGA loses, but playing in GA sometimes might be a reason that help leads them to more wins.
superdawg51
September 23rd, 2009
11:15 am
are you effing crazy….regardless of floridas recent dominance over uga this is one of college football’s greatest centerpieces. it is a college tradition people….we cannot allow it to end….period.
Jax Dawg
September 23rd, 2009
11:19 am
TS, so you think UGA losing in Jacksonville almost every year helps us in recruiting?
GatorGuy, Gainesville sucks and you know it. Take off your UF rose colored glasses.
Georgia-Florida game should take turns on campus | Jeff Schultz | Finally! Be free from smoking
September 23rd, 2009
11:20 am
[...] Venture Inward wrote an intriguing post today onHere’s a little tasterGeorgia’s athletic board will discuss extending the Jacksonville contract for the Florida game but should consider having the game played on campus every two years. … There are as many Dawg fans, if not more, down there as Florida fans. The atmosphere during that game is unmatched and you are not going to get that by going to the other school’s campus. Keep the game there, keep the tradition, let us have our fun, and stop with this silly talk. Link; Report this comment … [...]
TS
September 23rd, 2009
11:21 am
Ace- I hear you but FLA plays very well in the GA dome too. If you’re trying to escape the streak I don’t see how your chances improve by moving the game to Atlanta. Besides, the GA dome is awful. I would rather alternate home fields before they do anything at the dome. The closest bar is half a mile from the stadium and you get hit up by bums while you tailgate. Not a good atmosphere to have the biggest game in cfb.
Darius
September 23rd, 2009
11:26 am
I am glad to see so many UGA fans who appreciate the tradition and history of playing the game in Jax.
Meanwhile … someone needs to call a Waaaaambulance for those UGA fans (and coaches) crying about the game being in Jax. I never heard any complaints when UGA was beating UF just about every year in Jax.
As someone who attended both of the on-campus games in the 90s, they just did not have the same feel as the Jax game.
blazerdawg
September 23rd, 2009
11:29 am
Gainesville really does leave a lot to be desired. That downtown is as dead as Starkville.
Darius
September 23rd, 2009
11:34 am
While I have lived in Atlanta since the mid 90s, I grew up near Jax and there were just as many UGA fans as UF fans in Jax area and in North Central Florida back in the 80s-90s. So, let us not pretend that there are not a ton of UGA fans in Florida who love having the game in Jax.
The simple fact is this … moving the game is not even being discussed if not for UGA’s 2-17 record in Jax over the last 19 years.
Pitbull
September 23rd, 2009
11:34 am
Please move the UGA – UF game to sanford stadium every other year for the following reasons:
Sanford Stadium seats 15,000 more fans than Alltel Stadium so higher attendance.
It would open up an away game on the schedule every other year which means UGA could schedule a major team that requires a home and away agreement to come to Athens on the years the game is in Florida? Anyone want to see Penn State, Michigan, Notre Dame, the real USC, Texas in Athens for another nationally televised game? I would.
We could renew the annual rivalry home and away with Clemson – agreat rival in the 70’s and 80’s who always brings its crowd to fill Sanford Stadium.
Tailgating (without trashing) on campus prior to the UGA – UF game and then clubbing in Athens after the game. Heaven.
The UGA – UF game has been an exclusive game for rich old men rather than a game for the average student who cannot afford the room rates for the weekend in the area. The team is for the students. Give it back to them.
AJ
September 23rd, 2009
11:37 am
Too many comments to read them all, so hopefully not repeating. This game is a NATIONAL GAME. It helps expose the SEC to the whole country (yes, the SEC is all over anyways), but when someone in Oregon knows that the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party is a football game played by UF & UGA in Jacksonville Florida that’s saying something! If (and it’s a big “if) UGA could put the better team on the field, they will win whether it’s in Jacksonville, Athens, Atlanta, or Gainesville.
Sam The Man
September 23rd, 2009
11:39 am
Hands down this is one of the best football experiences going. Everyone travels so everyone is in good spirits. Sure there are pockets of drunk idiots who act like jerks, but that’s college football. For the most part, Jacksonville represents a nice getaway for fans from both teams.
This proposal is stupid. Don’t write about stuff you don’t know about. How many years in a row have you been going TO the game Jeff?
Beat it…
DawgFan36
September 23rd, 2009
11:43 am
The game is not leaving Jacksonville for a few years. When Arthur Blank builds his new bad ass staduim for the Falcons in 3 or 4 years the game will be played in that stadium every other year. The GA Dome is a crappy stadium that will become the home of Georgia State Football. Tech could play there but you’d have to cover the entire upper level with tarps so they could “sell it out”.
ReptilesRule
September 23rd, 2009
11:44 am
Good God! This again??? Why didn’t you just bring up the OJ Simpson case again and whether he really did it???
ClubHound
September 23rd, 2009
11:45 am
The party scene in Athens is great—plenty of top clubs, chicks everywhere, good restaurants. The entertainment scene in jacksonville, a blue collar city, totally sucks! Overpriced, low quality restaurants, lame clubs, and the chicks are mainly redneck, trailer trash types. Move the game every year to Athens then Atlanta! Florida’s had a home game too long!!!
ARdawg
September 23rd, 2009
11:47 am
I have to agree with GatorGuy here. It’s about getting our hat handed to us for the last 20 years. I don’t remember the big war cry about moving the game when it was Georgia doing all the winning. You cry babies talking about a Florida advantage are just that. Whining EFFING cry babies. We’ve spanked their heineys before and let our program descend while theirs as ascended. If you think moving that one game is going to make a difference I have some primo land in the Okeefenokee to sell you.
Jeff Schultz
September 23rd, 2009
11:48 am
Funny of the people who are against this idea, how many are just upset about the potential of screwing up their three-day weekend in St. Simons. Selah . . .
Garrett – I know all about the history. As for me being crazy? Yeah, maybe.
Herschel – Thanks. Bell makes it a fun and fast few hours.
Way Down South — I have been to Gainesville.
Jdawg – Never really thought of that. But no – I don’t think my taxes would change.
Atticus – Actually, I never really wanted to see the Red River Shootout in Athens.
F 105 – And the St. John’s flows north, for those who don’t know that bit of trivia.
World B – Is “Wall St” that old? … Hey, I’m sure the kids have seen it in Bravo or something.
Jeff Schultz
September 23rd, 2009
11:58 am
UGAGRAD – You’re right. That is a novel idea.
ACEDAWG – 4 years players are on roster for all 3 venues. If they leave early, that’s their problem.
Tim
September 23rd, 2009
12:00 pm
Funny how this never come up before 1990 when UGA was dominating. Did UF still have the advantage? If so, I never saw it and it never translated to the field. The Red River Rivalry is in Texas but you don’t hear OU fans clamoring to move it to some place in OK every other year to “make it fair”. The better team wins every game in every sport, no matter the venue. Moving it out of Jax only hurts the tradition and majesty of the game. Don’t UGA fans see that, year in and year out, the game is mentioned in the best rivalries of college football, even with regard to recent times?
If you move it, that goes away. Why fix something that’s not broken? Everytime I go down there, all the UGA fans are having a good time. This is more about the old alumni that can’t either afford or physically make the trip, the same people that DON’T contribute to the campus atmosphere or the game atmosphere.
RedRocket
September 23rd, 2009
12:02 pm
Could you imagine the amount of fist fights that would happen in downtown Athens if we played the Gators at home??
gratefuldawghead
September 23rd, 2009
12:03 pm
It wasn’t fun when the Gators came to Athens last time, but it was scary coming out of Jax last year. I saw a UGA fan get hit over the head with a beer bottle by a Florida Red Neck. It won’t matter where the game is played if Georgia doesn’t start winning more!
GO DAWGS!
Trash Man
September 23rd, 2009
12:06 pm
Can you imagine the mounds of trash that would be left on the UGA campus if all those redneck florida fans showed up? It would make the scene last game look minor—it would take weeks to clean up. Keep the game away from Athens! Move it to the Ga Dome—downtown atlanta is a dump anyway and more trash from fans will probably make it look better.
RWL
September 23rd, 2009
12:27 pm
You completely missed the boat! SEC football is about TRADITION….Georgia-Florida is special for many reasons but the main reason is tradition. AND, my friend, as far as economic impact goes….yes, Jacksonville does benefit significantly, but you FAILED to recognize that Atlanta does not need another game….(College Kickoff Classic, GT games, SEC Championship, and a Bowl Game). Additionally, The UGA-FL game brings a huge financial impact to the Georgia Coast, St. Simons Island, in particular. It is the biggest weekend of the year there and the merchants and local economy really rely on that to bouy themselves in these rough times. Your opinion and thought process is evidently not thorough…find another career.
AC
September 23rd, 2009
12:35 pm
I think it needs to stay in Jacksoville with a game in Atlanta every 3 to 4 years. I think the campus idea sucks. It would greatly favor FL in terms of home field advantage. 2 out of 3 games would be home games with one being a major advantage.
Now, if we did one in Athens and 2 in Jax, that might be even.
Justin
September 23rd, 2009
12:39 pm
I couldn’t agree more.,..just play the games at their home fields, alternating each year. Screw Jacksonville!
ugafan007
September 23rd, 2009
12:43 pm
ive been a fan for 20+ years and the uga vs uf game is not and never will be considered equal as long as its in jacksonville yes its rich in tradition being there but fair not in the least. if you want a neutral site play in alabama or something if not we should do home and home game thats the only ways to solve this. all yall complaining about it are just money grubbing punks and get over yourself s. i mean really uga haves to fly there flordia takes a less than 2 hour bus so not its not fair never has been so.
GO DAWGS
Rebel Fan
September 23rd, 2009
12:55 pm
JSS,
You are right about traditions. I grew up a SEC fan (Ole Miss, class of 2001) and tradition matters. The third weekend in Octobet was always Tenn-Bama weekend. Halloween weekend was Ole Miss-LSU. And GA-FLA was always played in Jacksonville. One of the greatest calls ever was hearing Larry Munson scream LINDSAY SCOTT! LINDSAY SCOTT! LINDSAY SCOTT! and the commentary after that where he broke the chair and talking about “All those dawg fans that have Condos on St. Simons Island.” “MAN is there going to be some proprty destroyed tonight,” I believe was the call.
That being said, however, times are changing and, unfortunately, money is talking. People are more concerned with the almighty dollar than anything else associated with colege football rivalries. After 2012, i think, OU and Texas wont play in the old Cotton Bowl becasue they are moving to the new Cowboys stadium. Why are they moving to the new stadium? Money, plain and simple.
Why not experiment with this new home, home, Ga. Dome and Jacksonville scenario. Take a 4-year stretch and say “let’s see what works.” It couldn’t hurt to try something new. If it doesn’t work? You can always go back to Jacksonville and keep playing there. The only wrinkle in the home and home scenario is to give the opposing team more than 10,000 tickets. Give them 20 or 25,000.
TS
September 23rd, 2009
12:58 pm
ugafan007- was it equal when you owned us? I believe the game has been there since the mid 30’s and you all own the series record. The tide will turn again. The series has always been UGA beating Florida when they weren’t supposed to and vice versa. That’s what makes Jacksonville.
You can’t run from a whoopin’!
JaxGator
September 23rd, 2009
12:58 pm
Moving the game would be ridiculous. I went to my first one in 1952.There is no other game with the atmosphere, tradition, and excitement as the Florida-Georgia game in Jax. I went to both campuses in 94 and 95. Not even close in excitement and fun. I have been to the Dome for all the SEC championship games that Florida has played. No great areas to tailgate and not as exciting.
The game is always listed as one of the top ten games every year; if the location is changed, then it will be just another SEC game.
Aeschylus
September 23rd, 2009
1:00 pm
Leave the game the hell alone. I know, repetitive here but this is a unique game like few (very few) others. Like Steve Spurrier once said, “they write books about this game.” It even has it’s own Hall of Fame.
Always loved the effect and atmosphere on St. Simons Island and giving UGA folks a chance to take a mini fall vacation. And finally, to you non-UGA/UF people: no, MOST UGA fans and alums are NOT whining about advantage/disadvantage. B.S.! Dooley owned the Gators and guess where each game he coached against UF took place! He even loved the fact that the last game he coached in was the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville (vs. Michigan State).
Again, leave the game the hell alone and if you don’t have a Dawg (or Gator) in the hunt, go away because we don’t care.
Darius
September 23rd, 2009
1:02 pm
I always get a good laugh when UGA fans start calling fans of other SEC schools “rednecks” … pot/kettle.
ryan
September 23rd, 2009
1:05 pm
Those of you talking about having the game in Atlanta are being ridiculous. The choices are home-home or Jacksonville. Last I checked, ATLANTA IS STILL A HORRIBLE PLACE TO HOST A COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEKEND.
The Dawgs have a fantastic road record under Richt so playing in Jax should not be a problem (thankfully for Richt’s record this game is not counted as a road game).
The game in Jax helps both team’s recruiting since it’s such a unique trip and always a nationally-televised event. Dawgs will get a couple of kids out of Jacksonville this year.
Any game formerly known as The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party should not be messed with!!
Aeschylus
September 23rd, 2009
1:11 pm
To Darius: can see the point. All of the SEC schools have “rednecks.” We ARE in the South…
That being said, I believe I can recall at least a few hundred occasions of fans from every sister school leveling the same charge at Georgia people (pot-kettle indeed).
Afternoon Grab Bag | MrSEC.com
September 23rd, 2009
1:17 pm
[...] game will continue to be played in Jacksonville after 2010.Jeff Schultz of The AJC thinks it’s time to play the game on campus.Tony Barnhart, also of The AJC, examines three “quality of life” games: South [...]
GAGirl
September 23rd, 2009
1:17 pm
After seeing what the South Carolina fans did to north campus 2 weeks ago (see pictures on ajc.com) do we really want gator fans in Athens??!!?? We don’t even really have a rivalry with USC and they trashed our campus and pooped on it??? Auburn fans did something similar 4 or 5 years ago. Gator fans are the WORST! Let them trash their own state and keep them off our beautiful campus!!!
Darius
September 23rd, 2009
1:23 pm
Aeschylus – I agree that any of the SEC schools using “rednecks” against any of the other SEC schools is pot/kettle.
GAGirl – lswho fans are the worst.
Pi$$onaDawg
September 23rd, 2009
1:41 pm
Yes, let the game come to Athens. The Athens-Clarke county police need to get some DUIs to generat money for the town. I think Gwinnett will get a few too. Gwinnett will get the hotel money and all the golf games right? There is little benefit for the game and it’s fans to have the game in Athens. South Ga. gets much needed money for that 4 day party. Shut-Up & Man-Up Dawgs then win the game. Just think it will be Halloween this year. I wonder what costume the Dawgs will wear this year? Convice stripes or just the same old repeat loser.
Pi$$onaDawg
September 23rd, 2009
1:44 pm
Sorry, Convict Stripes.
Mike T.
September 23rd, 2009
1:44 pm
Leave it just as it is now. In Jax. A tradition since 1933.
bkbroila
September 23rd, 2009
1:47 pm
Just keep the damn game in Jax and make them pay each team 5X the sweet moolah….UGA should be paid more to travel there IMO