Gators, Wolverines to pull in $6 million each for ’17 Cowboy Classic

If you answered "$6 million” to the question of what it’d officially take to get Florida to play a regular-season, non-conference game outside its home state, collect your winnings now.

Multiple media outlets are reporting that both Florida and Michigan will collect $6 million apiece for playing in the 2017 Cowboys Classic at AT&T Stadium. The financial particulars came after the game was announced in mid-December and following multiple requests under the Freedom of Information Act.

The Detroit News also reported the following perks per Michigan’s contract that will be received by both participants:

The school will receive 250 no-charge tickets, two suites on the Michigan side of the stadium, 100 parking spots and seating for the band will be at no charge.

Each school will receive 25,000 tickets to sell for the game.

The Palm Beach Post also notes that “the contract stipulates UF will not have to buy any remaining unsold tickets.” That stipulation is also included in UM’s contract, which can be seen

HERE.

Additionally, ESPN, which is paying the “Participation Fee” for both teams, has the right to cancel the game if either program is slapped with a major NCAA violation during a three-year period prior to the game. From UM’s contract, although the same language is included in UF’s:

3. Team Probation and Performance: In the event Michigan is determined by the NCAA to have committed a major violation of NCAA rules in its football program and the NCAA permits Michigan’s current football playing student athletes to transfer immediately without penalty at any time within a three year (3) year period prior to the Game and/or imposes a post season ban of two (2) or more seasons that includes the 2015 and 2016 seasons and Michigan incurs a loss of eight (8) or more scholarships per year in either of its 2015, 2016 or 2017 recruiting classes or the immediate transfer of student athletes, ESPN in consultation with the LOC and CSLP will have the right to cancel the Game within thirty (30) days of the NCAA’s announcement of the penalty, but no later than January 1, 2016.

The Wolverines will be considered the visiting team, the Gators the home team. Big 12 officials will work what will be the ninth edition of the Cowboys Classic.

The game in Arlington, Tex., at the home of the Dallas Cowboys will serve as the Gators’ first non-conference, regular-season game played outside the state of Florida since 1991 (Syracuse’s Carrier Dome). It will mark the first outdoor game of that kind since traveling to Memphis to face the Tigers in 1989.