NIL continues to play a major role in shaping the college football landscape, and Georgia is no exception. Across the country, schools are exploring creative strategies to boost their NIL funding—including the option of giving up home games in favor of lucrative neutral-site matchups.
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart recently spoke about being approached by third parties with offers to move a home game to a neutral location. The idea presents a tough choice: prioritize increasing NIL revenue for players or maintain loyalty to the fanbase by preserving home games.
“People have reached out even before all this about opportunities,” Smart told 247Sports. “You have to walk a fine line—you’re trying to bring in money that supports your players, the backbone of your program, but at the same time, you’re also trying to serve your fans, alumni, and season ticket holders.”
While the potential for more NIL funding is appealing—especially given how essential it is to building a top-tier program—Smart acknowledges it’s not a simple decision. Georgia typically has just seven home games a season, and reducing that number wouldn’t sit well with fans. Plus, unlike some schools, Georgia already has a strong NIL infrastructure, so a few extra million dollars might not make as big of an impact as it would elsewhere.
Still, Smart hasn’t ruled out the possibility of accepting one of these offers in the future. Given Georgia’s national profile, they’re likely to keep receiving such opportunities.
If the Bulldogs ever do decide to give up a home game, Smart made it clear the motivation would be to remain competitive in the increasingly important NIL arms race.
Leave a Reply