The Voice

Issue date: 10/23/08 Section: Sports

Over three hundred and sixty miles separate the University of Georgia's famed arches and Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. This is where the Dawgs battle the Gators in a rival football game. With towering ticket prices and even higher gas prices, why would anyone want to make the trip to Jacksonville without a ticket?
Katy Sinkler, a Gainesville State student who took the trip without a ticket says, "Going down to Jacksonville was worth it, just for the experience."
This trend of heading to Jacksonville without a ticket is becoming more popular, especially among student fans.
Annually the last weekend in October brings these two rival schools together to the neutral site of Jacksonville, and fans flock to Florida to celebrate the old southern tradition.
The main event of the weekend is the football game. However, over the years the weekend has grown and gained a reputation, leading to the nickname "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party."
The football game is held in the Alltel Stadium that normally holds 73,000 fans but expands its capacity to almost 80,000 for this game. Even with this expansion there aren't nearly enough tickets for everyone who desires one.
When the lucky few pile into the stadium, the other ticketless fans flock to the Jacksonville Landing; or they simply stay at their own tailgate.
The Jacksonville Landing is an outdoor strip mall that has live entertainment all weekend long, but Saturday night is their big night. Many fans arrive hours before kickoff to ensure a seat near a television. Some restaurants take reservations, but they must be made four or five hours before the game.
Some fans decide not to bother with the bar crowds. They simply watch the game from their tailgate, where they set up tents full of food, drinks and a television set. They settle down for a great evening with their closest friends, and cheer their team on.
One advantage to not buying a ticket into the game is having the extra cash to spend on accommodations for the weekend's festivities.
With Jacksonville being so close to many popular beaches, some fans choose not to pay the inflated hotel rates and just rent beach houses.
On an Atlanta Journal-Constitution blog, one St. Simons native says, "I live on St. Simons Island and this is THE place to be for GA-FL weekend! Lots of parties…..lots of UGA fans….win or lose it's going to be a fun weekend!"
Casey, a UGA student, also explained on the AJC blog what the perfect weekend in Jacksonville would be like: "Head to St. Simons on Thursday, drink it up, and eat seafood. On Friday, head to the Landing for a night you won't forget and mingle with the Florida fans, then tease them. Wake up on Saturday, fire up a grill, and bring out a television. Before and during the game eat, drink and hang with friends, while watching the game on a big screen television. After the game, do not go to sleep until Sunday night."
This seems like a flawless plan. And that is why so many college students are planning their trip similar to this.
Sinkler, who took the trip without a ticket explained, "The best part of the trip was being with friends and other fans that were excited about the game." She also said, "Going down to Jacksonville without a ticket was well worth it, just to be in the midst of all the action."
So do you really need to have a ticket to have a good weekend in Jacksonville? Apparently not.
Luckily for many Georgia fans and college students, "The World's Largest Cocktail Party" does not require a ticket or invitation to have a good time.
If you would like more information about the Georgia-Florida game and the weekend's festivities, you can visit www.jacksonvillelanding.com or www.aipfl.com/Events2007/GA_FL_2008.htm.

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