QuoteAtlanta bids for Florida-Georgia game
Atlanta sports boosters hope to win one of the country's top college football rivalries: the famed annual showdown between Georgia and Florida.
Georgia's four-year contract to play Florida in Jacksonville each year is set to expire next year.
Gary Stokan, president of the Atlanta Sports Council, an affiliate of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, is talking to Georgia about playing at the Georgia Dome once every four years.
http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=529578
Atlanta, you have enough sporting events that you get, let the others have a damn bone, alright.
The question is, is Jax man enough to fit to keep it here? Or will we be intimidated by the larger metro to the north?
If Delaney was mayor, I would never think this game would leave. However, I honestly think that Peyton could f*** up a bake sale, so I think it could happen.
Come on FL let Ga win a few a games, so they will stop whinning and threatening to move the game to Atlanta to be fair to the Dawgs!
Quote from: fsujax on March 20, 2009, 03:35:59 PM
Come on FL let Ga win a few a games, so they will stop whinning and threatening to move the game to Atlanta to be fair to the Dawgs!
You know that is their primary reason for this. Hell, probably the on;y, considering they showed their butts in 07 and got pimp slapped last year.
::40's radio announcer voice:: "It's a fight to the finish! lil man jack against heavyweight atl, this could go 12 rounds folks!"
I can't imagine the Florida/Georgia game not being here. However, I bet the UGA fans and team are tired of driving 360 miles to play somewhere that's supposedly neutral.
You know, if you talk to the longtime florida AND georgia fans who were going to games when they did the home and home for the Stadium Renovations for the Jaguars, most of them didn't like it because it didn't feel the same. While I'm not a college football fan (it's so hard to take seriously with the BCS), this game is a tradition. Frankly, we've flushed so many of them in this city. Let's not flush one more.
As to whether it is a neutral field, the stands are always darn close to 50/50 from what I can see on TV, and there is no "home field advantage" that Florida gets. It has always appeared to me as though the Georgia students and fans really look forward to coming down for the game. I think there would be some disappointment if it were in Atlanta.. I mean.. they're probably over there all the time anyway. As it stands now they have an excuse for a road trip.
I do agree that I would not even think twice about this prospect were Delaney still mayor. With the current state of local government, I'm a little nervous.
I dont see the problem? They arent lacking in fan support at the game so it is still a neutral site. And whats the difference between a 90 minute drive and a 90 minute flight? Granted...I am biased as both a Gators fan and a Jax fan wanting to keep the game.
hey fsujax, how bout getting the Seminoles to continue the River City Showdown? Or maybe starting a new neutral site game with GaTech? lol...it aint our fault that the Bulldogs have been our bitches in recent years.
I love it when the Noles play here. The turnout is usually pretty good. Especially for the FSU Alabama game.
I sincerely hope we don't loose this game. I'm not a fan of either team and I hate the idiots downtown getting in my way when I'm trying to get somewhere, but it's a great boost to the local economy, especially downtown, and another special event we can call our own. Our mayor should be bending over backwards or forwards, whatever it takes to keep the game teal (if you will).
Quote from: Tripoli1711 on March 20, 2009, 03:45:41 PM
As to whether it is a neutral field, the stands are always darn close to 50/50 from what I can see on TV, and there is no "home field advantage" that Florida gets. It has always appeared to me as though the Georgia students and fans really look forward to coming down for the game. I think there would be some disappointment if it were in Atlanta.. I mean.. they're probably over there all the time anyway. As it stands now they have an excuse for a road trip.
Some of my family (big UGA fans) are from the Athens area and they always moan how it's not fair Georgia has to play in Florida every year, but then again they hardly ever leave the state so you're right. It's a great excuse for a road trip!
If Atlanta were to get this game once every 4 years I’d imagine we would try to snag the other 3?
The TU just picked this story up:
http://www.jacksonville.com/news/georgia/2009-03-20/story/atlanta_group_makes_pitch_for_florida-georiga_game
I hope the city is proactive and doesn't sit back and let this one slip away. Just to rehash old sentiments, that is the difference between Jax and other cities. We sit back and places like Atlanta go after events they want.
FSUJax - The colorado turnout was pathetic. There were more people in the Club section bars than in the seats of the entire stadium. That was the whole reason the GBA dumped you in favor of Clemson.
Jax has 82,000 seats, maybe 84,000+ if the GBA can put seats in every space as they did for the Bama/FSU game. GA Dome only carries 72,000. So 10,000+ fans will get the shaft. Will Foley or Evans tell 5,000 fans they get the shaft because Evans wants the game an hour away?
The Hooch smells like sewage, the St. Johns is better and offers more. The beaches are down the river, the golf is better here. No one attends a game because of a skyline, and even though there are occasional fires in the spring/summer, by fall, thanks to hurricanes, we have no fires, even though ATL has snow, ice and hellacious traffic all year round.
Relax, both ADs say the game will stay here.
If ATL can bid for "our" game, why can't we bid for "their's"?
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php/topic,4003.0.html (http://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php/topic,4003.0.html)
Quote from: mtraininjax on March 21, 2009, 01:22:55 AM
No one attends a game because of a skyline, and even though there are occasional fires in the spring/summer, by fall, thanks to hurricanes, we have no fires, even though ATL has snow, ice and hellacious traffic all year round.
Don't forget
tornadoes!
Oh you mean the tornado that downed trees in cabbage town and ripped glass off their buildings downtown?
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v451/eldeadcow/atltornado.jpg)
(http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/11/l_04eac8d400c9ec0d887eee6c80bb7687.jpg)
Case closed, game stays here!
Calm down everyone; they need to feel like they are loved also. I would say reciprocate it each year...i.e., one year Jax, next Atlanta, and so on and so forth. What's the fuss? If we do it that way then the Bulldogs have no beatching or complaints when they continue to keep losing!
Heights Unknown
I believe the fuss is over the economic impact. No?
and tradition?
QuoteCalm down everyone; they need to feel like they are loved also. I would say reciprocate it each year...i.e., one year Jax, next Atlanta, and so on and so forth. What's the fuss? If we do it that way then the Bulldogs have no beatching or complaints when they continue to keep losing!
Heights Unknown
Tradition is obviously foreign to your vocabulary.
Wrong (mtraininjax)!!!!!! Would love to see it stay in Jax, however, nothing ever remains or stays the same...and why should it? And...maybe it would be good to bounce it between Jax and Atlanta each year...we all know the Gators would continue on in their winning ways regardless, and, we'd be proving that point! That is, we don't care where the Gators play ball, we (the Gators) will win and would still be the ones to beat!
Heights Unknown ;)
Quote from: CMG22 on March 27, 2009, 03:18:24 PM
Quote from: mtraininjax on March 21, 2009, 01:22:55 AM
No one attends a game because of a skyline, and even though there are occasional fires in the spring/summer, by fall, thanks to hurricanes, we have no fires, even though ATL has snow, ice and hellacious traffic all year round.
Don't forget tornadoes!
Don't think that Jax is invulnerable to tornadoes. That's a paltry reason not to move the game. If that's the case then a case could be raised by Atlantans that too many Hurricanes plague Jax.
Heights Unknown
Quotemaybe it would be good to bounce it between Jax and Atlanta each year
Economic impact of 25-30 million dollars each year, says otherwise. Saying the game belongs alternating is akin to economic suicide. jax needs this game. ATL has the NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB, and 40+ colleges and universities. Not to mention a 20+ county economic engine.
Cut Jax some slack and let us keep the game here, and help our local economy.
Or we could send you up to Atlanta with some water and trade you and the water for our game. What do you say???????
Quote from: heights unknown on March 28, 2009, 01:55:47 AM
Don't think that Jax is invulnerable to tornadoes. That's a paltry reason not to move the game. If that's the case then a case could be raised by Atlantans that too many Hurricanes plague Jax.
Heights Unknown
invulnerable to tornadoes, no. But hurricanes in late October? not so common.
Besides, even if one does strike, college kids love the hurricane parties.
It's a fact.
Quote from: mtraininjax on March 28, 2009, 02:00:20 AM
Quotemaybe it would be good to bounce it between Jax and Atlanta each year
Economic impact of 25-30 million dollars each year, says otherwise. Saying the game belongs alternating is akin to economic suicide. jax needs this game. ATL has the NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB, and 40+ colleges and universities. Not to mention a 20+ county economic engine.
Cut Jax some slack and let us keep the game here, and help our local economy.
Or we could send you up to Atlanta with some water and trade you and the water for our game. What do you say???????
Not a problem buddy boy, believe me, I can handle the heat! (I've experienced much worse). And anyway, I've been around the block too many times, and have been there and done that, so I would be much too valuable to offer for that so called trade, so chill out guy, there are worse things that can happen to our beloved Jax; the world won't stop turning if we alternate the FLA-GA game between Jax and Atlanta...that's all I'm saying, so relax. And anyway, it (FLA-GA game leaving Jax) probably won't happen...if our powers that be do their job. ;) ;) ;) ::)
Don't underestimate ATL's firepower in this battle. They obviously see that Jax 's is in a relatively vulnerable position and $ talks. The Jax business community better be ready to carry the ball on this one or that game will be in ATL.
Quote from: heights unknown on March 27, 2009, 07:16:37 PM
Calm down everyone; they need to feel like they are loved also. I would say reciprocate it each year...i.e., one year Jax, next Atlanta, and so on and so forth. What's the fuss? If we do it that way then the Bulldogs have no beatching or complaints when they continue to keep losing!
Heights Unknown
I think you've confused we (Jacksonville) with we (gators). They are not synonymous. I happen to be a Jax Gator too, but this is about whats best for Jax, not the gators.
Quote from: vicupstate on March 28, 2009, 09:00:02 AM
Don't underestimate ATL's firepower in this battle. They obviously see that Jax 's is in a relatively vulnerable position and $ talks. The Jax business community better be ready to carry the ball on this one or that game will be in ATL.
Well, from what I've read, theres no way the game in the Georgia Dome can match the Gator Bowl in revenue, unless they increase ticket prices substantially (which those in charge say is out of the question). This one will come down to whether UGA decides to shirk tradition and turn down bigger dollar signs for a slightly easier travel schedule.
My money's on Jacksonville.
One of the arguments is that the Gators hold an unfair advantage with the game in Jax every year. People should not forget that before Spurrier showed up the gators were beaten fairly regularly by Georgia...
QuoteFollowing the 2008 contest, Georgia held a 46-38-2 advantage in the all-time series. However, Florida has gone 16-3 in the game since 1990 (Georgia winning in 1997, 2004 and 2007) to follow a similar 15-5 domination by Georgia through the 70s and 80s.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_World's_Largest_Outdoor_Cocktail_Party
There was an article about this in the Atlanta Journal Cont (the local rag). I was not aware that this was going on. Being that I am a Bulldogs fan I was interested, plus I am interested in Jacksonville's progress because I lived there. The article was saying that the contract with Jax ends after the 2010 game, so as of now there are only 2 games left to be played. Atlanta is just trying to get the leap year game, with Jacksonville having the other 3, then back to Atlanta. It would be a major lost for everyone if the game returned to the campuses!!! And the more the Bulldogs lose, the more they bitch about it not being in a neutral site. Do Gator fans mind the game coming to a Georgia metro? Honestly a part of me wants the game to stay in Jacksonville forever, but being that I live in Atlanta now, I kinda miss the GA-FL experience, it would be cool to get it every four years. Is Jacksonville trying to land the contract fulltime after 2010? Whats the word down there?
If Atlanta wins this, then it would be a major blow to Jacksonville. This should be a slam dunk for us
QuoteSome of my family (big UGA fans) are from the Athens area and they always moan how it's not fair Georgia has to play in Florida every year, but then again they hardly ever leave the state so you're right. It's a great excuse for a road trip!
If Atlanta were to get this game once every 4 years I’d imagine we would try to snag the other 3?
Originally the game was placed in Jax, because Jax was the closes major city to the state line. The miles between Athens-Atlanta & Jacksonville-Gainesville are about close I think? I don't know if it is for the Bulldogs team or for the Bulldogs Fans, Maybe be the Bulldogs would like for the Gators fans to start traveling instead of them. I don't really think its an actual problem with Jacksonville the city, just the travel aspect of it. I think the leap year game may help it grow, but campus games would so hurt this game!! Either keep it in Jax forever or do the 3 in Jax 1 in Atl system, but No Campus games!!! It would mess up everything. Personally I wouldn't even watch it if it went campus. Keep them in the city not the country.
Everyone needs to remember that georgia used to own the gators prior to the Spurrier era...
Quote from: Steve on May 22, 2009, 06:07:37 PM
If Atlanta wins this, then it would be a major blow to Jacksonville. This should be a slam dunk for us
Do you mean the 1 game every 4 years in Atlanta or Jax only having 3 games in 4 years?
I was at the Tourist Development Council meeting the other day....the Gator Bowl people were there asking for an increase in $ for 2011 and beyond....and lots of people were wearing red & black....don't worry, Jax. will do what it takes to keep this game
TU Sports columnist Gene Frenette in today's Times-Union:
Georgia, Florida will follow the money - back to Jacksonville
University of Georgia president Michael Adams and athletic director Damon Evans can talk publicly all they want about possibly moving the Georgia-Florida football game out of Jacksonville. The reality is it's a bluff that makes no sense economically.
How many times does this issue have to surface before they reach the same conclusion - the extra $1.5 million to $2 million they receive every two years from playing at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium is too much to turn down.
Adams or Evans, especially in this economic climate, can't possibly justify to their constituency bypassing that kind of a revenue stream.
Georgia can squirm about losing 16 of the past 19 games, but there's no getting around the fact Jacksonville offers a better deal than going to a home-and-home series or moving it to the Georgia Dome in Atlanta every other year.
Adams, obviously trying to straddle the political fence, made a bizarre comment to the Athens (Ga.) Banner Herald after the Georgia Athletic Association board of directors met on Thursday, saying: "There are things we want yet out of the city of Jacksonville that can even the playing field a bit."
Really? Like what?
Jacksonville, whose game contract expires after the 2010 game, has stacked the deck economically in both schools' favor. The city reduced the annual rent on the stadium from $100,000 to $1. Evans and UF athletic director Jeremy Foley have set the game's ticket prices, $40 (general admission) and $70 (club seats), at rates that have drawn overflow crowds of about 84,500 spectators.
Now if Evans wants to move it to the Georgia Dome, there's also the matter of determining which 6,000 Bulldogs fans will no longer be able to purchase a ticket because of the reduced capacity. Does he want to say goodbye to 76 years of tradition and irritate the entire south Georgia fan base that looks forward to the unique game-day experience in Jacksonville?
If Adams really thinks about it, the only evening out of the playing field is what he and Evans could possibly do to match what Jacksonville offers. Unless the Georgia Dome expands to 90,000 seats, how is that going to happen?
We all know this is nothing more than some Georgia high-rollers, along with coach Mark Richt, not liking Florida's recent domination in the series. But when the Bulldogs had their way in this game under coach Vince Dooley, did you hear Florida pushing for a home-and-home series?
The truth is whether the game is in Jacksonville or somewhere else, both Georgia and Florida's hopes for victory will ride on the quality of their football teams and their game-day strategy, not on the venue.
As long as Jacksonville puts more money into the coffers of both schools, what's the point of Georgia power brokers even discussing a move?
Unless they find throwing away millions of dollars, and possibly still losing to Florida, really appealing.
Keeping this game must continue to be a top priority for our city. The Mayor is focused on this...and we are in regular communication with the two schools.
At this point I don't see how Atl could match Jax dollar for dollar. In this case, thank goodness money talks and bull____ walks!
Atlanta, I got some questions.
Where would everyone be able to tailgate, especially RV City?
How would you make up for over 8,000 fewer seats?
How would you be able to accomodate this many fans for parking alone?
How would you do on traffic routes and such?
How can you shake the perception of an already traffic nightmare city for a weekend?
Can you asure GA fans that moving it to Atlanta that the Bulldogs will win?
QuoteAtlanta, I got some questions.
Where would everyone be able to tailgate, especially RV City?
How would you make up for over 8,000 fewer seats?
How would you be able to accomodate this many fans for parking alone?
How would you do on traffic routes and such?
How can you shake the perception of an already traffic nightmare city for a weekend?
Can you asure GA fans that moving it to Atlanta that the Bulldogs will win?
Probably the same lots the Falcons fans use when they tailgate. The lots seem to be the same size.
8000 seats is a lot, they would probably have to raise prices per seat.
Parking? Not every fan has an RV. Once fans are in Hotels, they could either walk or use Marta. Have you seen Bay, Forsyth, Laura & Liberty the friday night before gameday. Its packed with peds. Where did they park at?
Traffic..Jacksonville wins there. No argument!
Im a Bulldogs fan and I hate this idea coming up after a lose. But coming from a fan spending point, the Bulldogs have to spend more to enjoy the game, Buy more gas and drive longer miles. Both schools need to stop the short term contracts and just write one for 50 or 75 years. If not every time the short term runs out, this comes up again. One thing for sure, people should not want this to go Home and Home. It would become just another game and ruin the rivalry and tradition. They need to do something long term. Either Jax forever or Jax-Atl rotate. Florida U and Jacksonville has no say in the matter regardless. The Joystick is in the Bulldogs hand. They have the final say if they play in Jax, Atl or home n home. It wont go Atlanta full time though, that would never happen. Many fans here want the game though NOT including me, Id rather it stay in Jax fulltime. I don't think Jacksonville has enough Bulldog citizens though. And if it really is a neutral site, then the local media needs to lay off the Blue.