Georgia, Florida exploring temporary sites for rivalry game in 2026, 2027

One of college football's most celebrated rivalries may temporarily move out of its longtime host city.

Both Georgia and Florida are exploring various stadium options for their annual neutral-field rivalry game, one that's often referred to as "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party," for 2026 and 2027. According to the Associated Press (via ESPN), the schools may host the 2026 game in Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium while the 2027 edition could be held in one of three different locations in Florida: Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Raymond James Stadium in Tampa or Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

The game's current home, EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, could undergo a $2 billion renovation in those two years. The stadium's primary tenant, the Jacksonville Jaguars, may end up playing in a smaller capacity at the venue or entirely elsewhere while the renovations take place. The Jacksonville City Council is set to vote on approval for the renovation.

The defending champion Bulldogs have played the Gators in Jacksonville every year since 1933 except for the two seasons that the Gator Bowl was mostly dismantled as part of the development for what's now EverBank. One of the most interesting findings in the AP's report is how much revenue both schools earn through having their game at EverBank versus how much they'd make if the game on campus:

"The payout from Jacksonville is roughly $3 million for each school in 2023, a figure that includes $1.25 million guaranteed plus a split of ticket revenue and concession sales. The guaranteed payout for each school increases to $1.5 million in 2024 and 2025, the final two years of the current contract.

"Georgia also receives $350,000 annually to cover its charter flights, buses and lodging, while Florida receives $60,000 because no flights are required.

"A Florida home game, by comparison, generates between $2 million and $5 million depending on the opponent. So a home-and-home series would bring in less revenue over a two-year span than a neutral-site game."

Though not even 30 years old, EverBank is the seventh-oldest stadium in the NFL and among the last in the league to schedule any significant renovations. It was built with some parts of the old Gator Bowl, and the majority of the stadium was made with new construction in 1993 and 1994 after the NFL awarded Jacksonville with an expansion franchise. The Jaguars have been relocation candidates for several years now, with London acting almost as a second home to the franchise since the league allowed the team to play internationally.

In September, team owner Shad Khan revealed plans for a renovated EverBank, with a design conceived to compete with other newer multibillion-dollar stadiums for world-class events. As expected, the largest point of contention over these plans is how much of the bill will be footed by public tax dollars.