Florida-Georgia expected to return to Jacksonville after 2016

Since 1933, the Florida Gators and Georgia Bulldogs have met on a football field in Jacksonville every season except for two. That trend is expected to continue past 2016. The Athens Banner-Herald reports a contract extension is expected to be signed between the city of Jacksonville and the two SEC East programs.

There really is no reason to expect the long-standing rivalry will not remain in Jacksonville after the current contract expires this year. It is merely a formality of approving the wording of the contract, in all likelihood. However, the reason for at least some mild concern is the delay in getting the contract finalized is because the renewal is typically locked up earlier than where the situation currently stands. The last two times the contract had been extended to play the game in Jacksonville, the renewed contract was signed more than a year in advance of the current contract’s expiration date. The biggest reason for the delay? Stadium renovations in Jacksonville.

From the Athens Banner-Herald;

There’s been a little more concern than usual about the extension of this contract, which expires after the game on Oct. 29, 2016, because the parties typically finish a deal at least a year in advance. The last two extensions were signed on Sept. 1, 2010, and Oct. 25, 2005, more than a year before the contract’s expiration. One of the big reasons the negotiations took longer this time is the schools wanted to see how the Jaguars’ planned renovations to EverBank Field club seat areas in the east and west stands might impact stadium capacity. The Jaguars are reducing club seats from 11,000 to about 8,000 for NFL games, but the schools are adamant about capacity remaining at 82,917 for Florida-Georgia.

Ah yes, the biggest hold up always comes back to money. What is also noted by the report is the concern both Florida and Georgia had over temporary seating being removed, which is where the biggest donors tend to be seated for the game.

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