Jacksonville Jaguars' New Stadium Agreement Should Lead To Florida-Georgia Cocktail Party Relocation

The Jacksonville Jaguars and the city came to an agreement on terms for a new stadium that will cost $1.4 billion, while keeping the team in the city for an additional 30 years. But what does this mean for the annual rivalry game between Georgia and Florida? 

Well, that will now become a topic of discussion as the Jaguars look to build their ‘stadium of the future’ in the current location. According to the AP, during a meeting on Tuesday night, the proposal was agreed upon and will be voted on by the city in June, then be voted on by the NFL in October. The details of the agreement have both sides will pay $625 million, which comes out to $1.25 billion in total, with another $150 million coming from Jacksonville. 

The deal is expected to be formally agreed upon by both parties, which will lead to the Jaguars starting construction on the new stadium following the 2025 season. The Jaguars are expected to play in front of a reduced capacity crowd in 2026, and then move their home games to either Gainesville or Orlando for the 2027 season. 

So, the question becomes what happens with the annual rivalry game between Georgia and Florida. This would certainly be the best opportunity to play a home-and-home series while the renovations occur in Jacksonville. The annual rivalry game has been a mainstay in the city of Jacksonville since 1933, with both schools profiting off the matchup. In 1994 and !995, the games were played on the schools campuses, while Everbank Stadium was being built. 

Florida-Georgia Matchup Headed For Campus, Or Other City In 2026? 

Now, for fans that have been clamoring for the rivalry to be played in a home environment, the news of the Jaguars playing at a reduced capacity in 2026, and outside the city in 2027 could bring the game to both Athens and Gainesville. In 2023, both sides agreed to a new two-year option that would keep the game in Jacksonville through the 2025 contest

Yes, there are other cities that would love the opportunity to host the game, like Atlanta or Orlando, and have been discussing the idea with campus leaders. But this might be the perfect chance to give Athens and Gainesville the opportunity to get a renewed taste of what this rivalry could look like in both cities, since the last time this occurred was in the 90's. 

In a statement to OutKick, the University of Florida says that they are still having conversations with the city, according to Senior Associate AD Steve McClain. 

"We continue to have conversations with the City of Jacksonville and the Jaguars about their exciting plans. Our understanding is that further approvals are required before next steps, so we should wait before commenting publicly about how this could potentially impact the Florida-Gerogia game."

Even though there is a growing sentiment that the two games could most likely end up being played in different cities for this 2-year span, it sure would be exciting to see an on-campus game once again. 

During the announcement of the option being picked up through the 2025 season, Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks said that they would continue exploring all of their options in the years after the final game of the current contract. 

"We are pleased with the decision to exercise the option that will keep the game in Jacksonville for 2024 and 2025," Josh Brooks stated at the time. "We look forward to discussions that I'm sure will continue over the next couple of years exploring all of the options for 2026 and beyond. We continue to be appreciative of the working relationship we have with the University of Florida and the City of Jacksonville," 

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 28: Carson Beck #15 of the Georgia Bulldogs hands the ball off to Daijun Edwards #30 during the second half of a game against the Florida Gators at EverBank Stadium on October 28, 2023 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

Well, it sounds like this could be the perfect opportunity for this game to move to the college campus of both schools, if that's an agreement both sides could come to. There's certainly a massive attraction for the game from both fan bases with Jacksonville, and moving it out of its traditional location would be a tough sell for some. 

But, with the Jacksonville Jaguars agreeing to build a new stadium, both the Bulldogs and Gators could now be forced to make a decision on the future of this game in the city beyond 2025. Conversations have been ongoing between schools, knowing that this situation with the stadium was coming, and especially having Gainesville in the conversation to host the Jaguars for the 2026 season. 

This could end up being a blessing in disguise for both Florida and Georgia, giving them two seasons to think about what they want to do in the future. Maybe a 2-year trial of playing a home-and-home could be the perfect opportunity to gauge the interest of both parties, while I would imagine Jacksonville would love to see them return to their new stadium once it's complete. 

Either way, it looks as though the ‘Worlds Largest Cocktail Party’, as it's formerly known, will be heading out of Jacksonville after the 2025 contest, whether they like it or not.