CKS graduated UGA in 1999 with a degree in finance from the business school. I think there are two recent topics that are giving us insight into his business acumen :
- "Moving" WLOCP from Jacksonville
- Scheduling Home & Home with Future Opponents
While we've all heard the "football" reasons for these two topics recently, I believe there is a more practical/commercial philosophy behind both.
Moving UGA/FL from Jacksonville - I don't believe Kirby actually wants to move the game. I believe 100% that this is posturing for better money/incentives from the city of Jacksonville. My own company did this when leveraging the state for more tax incentives to build new plants. It only requires that you publicly state reasons why you would rather "go another direction" thus shifting the balance of the negotiation in your favor. I've seen a few others who have begin to suspect this as well, and I agree with them. Kirby won't change 80+ years of tradition. Besides, any benefit gained (home game) is a benefit for your opponent the following year. This is only being done so that JAX shows up at the bargaining table with a bigger check.
Scheduling Home & Homes with strong P5 opponents - The biggest complaint I've heard about our latest scheduling additions is that the home games are WAAY out in the future. Well, what better way to have season ticket holders hang on to their seats for 10 more years than to guarantee them some significant games? We're all ware of the declining ticket sales and more people watching games from the comfort of their living rooms with A/C and 70 in flatscreens. Adding high calibur games 10+ years out incentivizes existing season ticket holders to maintain their status and will encourage others to begin making donations so that by the time 2029 rolls around, they too can be a season ticket holder for some of the biggest games in college sports.
