ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia football has spent the better part of the last decade building one of college football’s most powerful recruiting machines.
Kirby Smart has the facilities, the fan base, the championships and, most importantly, the money.
But Bulldogs fans might want to pay attention to Georgia’s governor’s race. The next person in the governor’s mansion could have an indirect impact on the economic environment surrounding the state’s most valuable football program.
And if Keisha Lance Bottoms wins, some Georgia fans might start worrying about the NIL budget.
There is another complication: the possibility of a governor who is more interested in seeing Georgia Tech succeed than Georgia.
In this entirely fictional nightmare scenario, Bottoms is portrayed as the ultimate Yellow Jackets superfan. Every Georgia touchdown is a personal inconvenience. Every Kirby Smart recruiting victory is a reason to call a press conference.
And Kirby’s coaching methods? A potential public safety investigation.
Imagine the headlines.
“Bottoms Questions Whether Georgia Practices Are Too Physical.”
“New Administration Wants Answers About Kirby Smart’s Player Safety Standards.”
“Georgia Tech Supporters Demand Investigation Into Why Georgia Keeps Winning.”
The satire practically writes itself.
In this imagined universe, even Smart’s driving habits become a political talking point. Bulldogs fans could find themselves defending everything from practice intensity to the speed at which their head coach gets to the recruiting office.
But the real concern for Georgia supporters is economic.
Could Georgia’s NIL Machine Take a Hit?
Bottoms has campaigned on policies including a $15 minimum wage and higher public-sector pay. Those proposals are not a college football spending plan.
Still, in the highly scientific world of completely made-up sports economics, higher costs for businesses could eventually mean less disposable income for the average Georgia football supporter.
That is where things get dangerous.
A family already spending hundreds of dollars on tickets, parking, concessions and merchandise might suddenly decide it has better things to do with its money.
Instead of buying another Georgia jersey, somebody might actually pay their electric bill.
Instead of donating to an NIL collective, a business owner might decide to keep a little more money in the company.
And instead of helping Georgia land another five-star offensive tackle, a local restaurant might decide it needs to cover payroll first.
The horror.
Georgia’s recruiting operation is not exactly operating on pocket change. The Bulldogs compete nationally for elite prospects, and that requires an enormous financial commitment from supporters, businesses and donors.
If the broader Georgia economy slows down, that money could become harder to find.
Nobody wants to explain to a five-star quarterback that his NIL offer got reduced because the local car dealership is worried about its operating expenses.
That is not how you win a recruiting battle with Alabama.
Rick Jackson Might Be the Dawgs’ Preferred Choice
Republican candidate Rick Jackson has campaigned on cutting Georgia’s income tax and reducing costs. Whether those proposals deliver the economic growth supporters expect is another question entirely.
But from the perspective of a Georgia fan, the theoretical appeal is obvious: More money staying in people’s pockets could mean more money available for tickets, donations and the next recruiting-class arms race.
At least that is the argument.
Georgia football is not going to collapse because of one governor’s election. Smart has built a program with national resources, a massive following and a recruiting footprint that extends well beyond the state.
But the Bulldogs’ financial advantage is not completely immune to the economy around them.
And if Georgia fans are forced to choose between paying higher household expenses and helping fund the next championship roster, the answer probably won’t make Kirby happy.
The governor’s race is about much more than football. But in Athens, practically everything eventually becomes about football.
So Dawgs fans might want to keep an eye on the results.
They can debate taxes, wages and economic policy after the game.
Right now, the only number some Georgia supporters care about is how much money is left for NIL.
Rick Jackson winning might not guarantee another national championship. But some Bulldogs fans would certainly prefer not to find out what a Bottoms administration means for the recruiting budget — or how many Georgia practices might suddenly become subjects of state government scrutiny.
