Kirby Smart is leaving no stone unturned in his quest for recruiting superiority.
Earlier on Friday it was announced that Georgia and Florida had renewed their agreement for the annual World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party in Jacksonville through at least 2023 but that’s not the only potential news coming to Duval regarding the series. Per a report from UGASports.com, the Bulldogs are also set to propose a rule change at the next set of SEC meetings next spring that would finally allow the designated home team in the series to host recruits just like they would if they were in either Athens or Gainesville.
“It wouldn’t take the place of on-campus visiting, but perhaps it would be something where we could have a host tent and see if something like that could work,” AD Greg McGarity said. “Again, it wouldn’t replace the on-campus visit, but still allow each school to host recruits at the game.”
The change is aimed at a league rule that prohibits hosting recruits at in-conference neutral site games (like the WLOCP). Both schools can apparently leave tickets for players to the game but in terms of meeting with coaches on the field or being provided the normal hospitality one gets at a home game, that’s not allowed.
McGarity also detailed the upcoming windfall both Georgia and Florida are expected to receive from the new agreement to remain in Jacksonville, which makes hosting recruits even more important for both sides because the financial figures are too lucrative for the bottom line. They Bulldogs are expected to make some $5 million more over a two-year rotation than they would have cashed in if they hosted one of the games in Athens.
No word on what the Gators stance is on the potential rule changes (nor the other 12 members in the conference) but it would help the program every other year just like it would the Bulldogs. The pair might even get some support from Arkansas and Texas A&M, which play in Arlington, Texas through 2024, in the matter.
Either way, it’s certainly one topic of discussion next spring in Destin when everybody gathers together to bring up changes to what has been the standard operating procedure in the SEC for several years.