At the University of Georgia, Sanford Stadium is getting a big side hustle
ATHENS — Goalposts came down Saturday about 30 minutes after the University of Georgia football’s annual spring game ended.
This week, the university is preparing cavernous Sanford Stadium for a much different kind of show. On Saturday, Georgia natives Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan will headline just the second concert in the stadium’s nearly 100-year history.
It likely won’t be the last.
As costs rise amid recent athlete revenue sharing rules, UGA and athletic departments across the country are looking for new ways to bring in money.
“The need to try and find alternative revenue streams is higher than ever,” said Tanner Stines, UGA associate athletic director.
Stines said UGA has sold more than 60,000 tickets for this weekend, tracking closely with the first concert at the iconic venue that’s home to the Bulldogs. In 2013, more than 65,000 people attended a show featuring country singers Aldean, Bryan and Atlanta rapper Ludacris.
“To be able to go back and do it again, Luke and I doing it together, that’s going to be pretty incredible,” Aldean said last year. “… My favorite show I’ve ever done.”
Georgia isn’t alone in turning football cathedrals into concert venues.
Last week, Morgan Wallen played at Bryant-Denny Stadium, opening the show by walking out with legendary Alabama coach Nick Saban. Last fall, Zach Bryan headlined at Michigan Stadium.
Sanford Stadium can hold 93,000 for football games, but Stines said concert capacity is around 70,000 to account for sight lines and ensure a quality experience. Tickets were still available on UGA’s official site Tuesday afternoon and ranged from $68 to $193.
Beginning last year, NCAA Division I schools have been allowed to share up to 22% of their average athletic revenue directly with athletes, capped at roughly $20.5 million annually per school.
Funding sources include donations, ticket sales, media rights, sponsorships and, increasingly, concerts.
UGA athletics’ operating revenue reached $233.5 million in fiscal year 2025, up from $123.8 million in 2016.
Still, more is needed now that college recruits and transfers can command big pay deals when picking their school.
Last season, Delta Air Lines became the first corporate partner to have its logo displayed on the playing surface at Sanford Stadium. Earlier this year, the NCAA approved advertising logos for uniforms.
“It’s a new frontier,” Stines said. “If change scares you in this industry, then you’re in the wrong industry. As much as we like to say we want it to go back to how it used to be, how it used to be has changed about every eight to 10 years in the history of college sports.”
UGA is already exploring what comes next.
Stines said the school has begun discussions about hosting more on-campus concerts and has engaged with city officials on the possibility of building larger, coordinated entertainment weekends.
Downtown venues such as Akins Ford Arena, which opened in 2024, along with the Georgia Theatre and 40 Watt Club, could host supporting acts, with Sanford Stadium serving as the headliner.
“I think that’s kind of the vision of what this could become over the years,” Stines said. “... I think it’s just married at the right time now, where the artists are looking for these venues to be available, and we’re all a lot more acceptable to having them.”
About the Author
Fletcher Page is Athens bureau chief covering northeast Georgia for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
