Georgia, Florida mull temporary sites for rivalry
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Don’t expect Georgia and Florida to play their annual rivalry game on campus sites anytime soon, if ever again.
The SEC heavyweights are exploring options to hold the game often referred to “The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party” at other neutral-site venues during the two years that Jacksonville is expecting a $2 billion renovation to EverBank Stadium and the surrounding area.
Although they haven’t completely ruled out playing a home-and-home series in 2026 and 2027, administrators are focused on letting cities with NFL-ready stadiums bid on the game, according to two people familiar with the planning. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the process hasn’t been formalized or finalized.
The next move is contingent on Jacksonville’s city council approving plans for a stadium overhaul that also would force the Jacksonville Jaguars to play home games in front of a reduced capacity (roughly 40,000) in 2026 and elsewhere in 2027. Georgia and Florida, meanwhile, would play outside Jacksonville for the first time in more than three decades.
In 2026, with Georgia scheduled to be the home team, the game likely would land at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, with a 50-50 ticket split as usual. The following year, with Florida as the home team, it could end up at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Raymond James Stadium in Tampa or Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
The reason is simple: The schools can make more money playing the game at neutral-site venues like EverBank. The schools have played annually in Jacksonville since 1933, with a two-year hiatus while the Gator Bowl was being renovated before the Jaguars’ inaugural season. The game moved to Gainesville in 1994 and Athens, Georgia, the following year.
Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart has been outspoken about wanting to move the game back to campuses for recruiting purposes; NCAA rules prohibit coaches from having contact with recruits at neutral sites, although the home team can leave tickets for them.
But Smart would prefer face-to-face contact, something he could get if the game was played in Athens.
“I firmly believe that we’ll be able to sign better players by having it as a home-and-home because we’ll have more opportunities to get them to campus,” Smart said last season.
Smart backed off his comments earlier this week.
“I don’t really think about it anymore,” he said. “We are where we are. That really has not crossed my mind besides the offseason when I get asked about it. A lot more concerned with how we play than where we play.”
Florida coach Billy Napier has been quick to point out that “the underlying issue here is the economics.”
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.
WASHINGTON — Brayden Schenn played his 1,000th regular-season NHL game when he and the St. Louis Blues beat the Washington Capitals 5-2 on Thursday night.
Older brother Luke played his 1,000th game Oct. 17 with the Nashville Predators. The Schenns are the eighth set of brothers to each reach that milestone and the first to do so in the same season.
“I’ve always said you don’t get there without the help of tons of people,” Brayden said after his team’s morning skate. “Family being one and coaches and players and teammates and people in the organization. Obviously, you have to embrace the day-to-day grind of the ups and downs and just how hard this league is, but, yeah, pretty special that we have best buddies that push each other every day and get to do it in the same year.”
Blues players celebrated the occasion with Schenn shirts and hats with the captain’s No. 10 on them. Father Jeff gave a pregame speech in the locker room after coach Jim Montgomery said, “Schenner and his bro both getting 1,000 games in the same season is a tribute to the great family raised by Jeff and his wife.”
Jeff Schenn said Brayden was his favorite player on the Blues and tied for his favorite overall, of course, with Luke.
“Honored and privileged and very proud to be part of the big day and the big journey that goes along with it,” their dad said. “You see the hard work and the dedication and the bumps and the bruises and everything you guys put into it. … Just so excited and happy to be here and awful proud of him.”
Montgomery said after the win that Jeff Schenn looked very comfortable speaking in front of the group.
“Jeff and his wife, Brayden’s parents, they raised four great kids and two have played 1,000 games in the NHL,” Montgomery said. “His message was well-received, and you could tell by our start that we wanted to play for our captain.”
Dylan Holloway, who scored twice, said because it was Schenn’s 1,000th game, the Blues “wanted this one bad.”
The Capitals acknowledged the milestone with a message on arena videoboards and an announcement during the first period.
Brayden getting to 1,000 comes amid talk ahead of the March 7 trade deadline that teams are interested in acquiring both of them in separate moves. The Blues are on the fringe of the playoff race in the Western Conference, while the Predators are far out of contention.
“The times I’ve gotten traded, I didn’t expect to get traded, so you really never know,” Brayden said, adding he has loved his time with St. Louis. “It’s a business and that just comes with the flows of kind of where we’re positioned, five points out of the playoffs. But it’s the trade deadline, so some people make rumors. … You just take it a day at a time and just focus on your game and play.”
Brayden, 33, has three years left on his contract at an annual salary cap hit of $6.5 million. Luke, 35, has one more season left after this one at $2.75 million.
The Schenn brothers have played together in the NHL before, spending 3½ seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers from 2013 to 2015. Brayden won the Stanley Cup with the Blues in 2019, then Luke back to back with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021.
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