Georgia Tech Football: Brent Key Shares His Thoughts on GT-UGA Game Moving to Mercedes Benz Stadium in 2025

Some big news was revealed this morning when Georgia Tech Athletic Director J Batt announced that the rivalry game between Georgia Tech and Georgia will be played in Mercedes Benz Stadium in 2025, the year that the game was supposed to be played in Bobby Dodd Stadium. It is the first time in the history of the rivalry that the game won't be played on either campus.

After practice today, Georgia Tech head coach Brent Key was asked about the game moving to Mercedes Benz for next year and gave a brief answer.

"How many days away? Come on. Come on, Chad. You know me better than that. Not at all. I'm just, I'm excited to be able to get a deal done and it be able to be beneficial for us."

Georgia Tech is gearing up for a matchup with No. 12 Notre Dame, a game that will be played in Mercedes Benz Stadium. When asked about playing games in Mercedes Benz Stadium and how it is beneficial to Georgia Tech, Key said this:

"Yeah, I think I believe there's a year or two years left on the contract. Whatever it is left on the contract, that was way before me. That was way before me. But it's one of the greatest stadiums in the world. It's a great venue to play a game in. You talk about the sidelines are good, the field is good, just everything about it, the facilities, the locker rooms. It's great for the fans, the venue for the fans. It was pretty cool. You talk about history to play Notre Dame. I was in the first game in Mercedes-Benz. What was that? 2017? We opened up the Mercedes-Benz. So we had a lot of chances to play in there. Going to games there. Concerts. Soccer. But it's a great venue. Excited to be able to play and be a part of it."

Here is what Batt said in his release today:

"We know that some of you may be apprehensive that Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate will be played off-campus for the first time since Bobby Dodd Stadium opened in 1913. Please know that we understand that concern and know that this was not a decision that was made lightly.

As I noted earlier, embarking on the new era of college athletics requires exploring new revenue sources, as that is paramount to our goal of competing for championships at the highest level. In partnering with AMB Sports and Entertainment (AMBSE) to move Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate to Mercedes-Benz Stadium for 2025, we agreed to changes in the contract that calls for us to play one game annually at Mercedes-Benz Stadium through 2026. As part of the new agreement, AMBSE will provide us with a $10 million guarantee just to play the 2025 Georgia Tech-Georgia game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, a transformative revenue lift for Tech Athletics. In addition to the $10 million guarantee, the reworked agreement with AMBSE will provide Tech season ticket members with seating priority opportunities that they haven’t had for our previous games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

In short, while tickets for Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate will not be a part of our 2025 football season tickets packages, seats for Georgia Tech season ticket members who purchase tickets for the GT-UGA game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium will be assigned after MBS suite and club seat holders only. This is a significant move up in seating priority for Tech season ticket members over our previous games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and will result in significantly more highly sought-after seats being available to Yellow Jackets fans first.

Playing Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate at Mercedes-Benz Stadium will be limited to 2025, while construction of the Fanning Center continues in and around Bobby Dodd Stadium and before the stadium renovation funded by Full Steam Ahead begins. The Georgia Tech-Georgia game will return to a renovated Bobby Dodd Stadium in 2027.

While the invaluable revenue lift and improved seating priority for Tech fans are the primary reasons why the decision was made to play Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2025, it will also move the Georgia Tech-Georgia rivalry onto one of the world’s biggest stages for the first time. Mercedes-Benz Stadium is one of the premier stadiums in the world – the home of Super Bowls, College Football Playoff Championship Games, the World Cup – and offers fan amenities not available at any other venue. Be on the lookout for additional details shortly. "

When they play this game next season, it will mark the first time that Georgia Tech and Georgia will have played each other in another stadium in the modern era. From Batt's release, Georgia Tech will return to playing their archrival in Bobby Dodd Stadium in 2027, when stadium renovations are complete. Batt also said that Georgia Tech is getting a $10 Million Dollar guarantee to play this game in Mercedes Benz Stadium.

Georgia Tech has a six-game contract to play a game at Mercedes Benz Stadium. It has not been announced who their opponent in 2026 will be for that game.

This Saturday, Georgia Tech faces Notre Dame at Mercedes Benz Stadium, a 3:30 p.m. kickoff on ESPN. In the past three years, Georgia Tech is 1-2 playing in the stadium, beating North Carolina in 2021, losing to Clemson in 2022, and losing to Louisville last season.