Tide, Cards set for big Orlando paydays

Alabama and Louisville will receive big financial paydays for their participation in the Camping World Kickoff game in Orlando on Sept. 1 according to documents obtained by the Louisville Courier Journal last week.

According to the contract for the game obtained by the Courier Journal through open records requests, Alabama will be paid $4.5 million. It is $1.75 million more than what Louisville ($2.7 million) will receive for facing the defending national champions in the season opener.

The game will kickoff at 8 p.m. and will be broadcast nationally on ABC.

Both schools signed their deals with ESPN in 2015 and, according to the report, each is guaranteed their payouts within 30 days after the game.

This is the second in a series of neutral-site games at Camping World Stadium.

Florida State opened the 2016 season against Ole Miss in the inaugural game at Camping World Stadium in front of an announced crowd of 63,042. The Seminoles won the game 45-34.

FSU received a $3.5 million check for playing the Rebels.

Florida and Miami are scheduled to face off on Monday, Sept. 2, 2019.

The agreement calls for Alabama and Louisville to purchase tickets for the game to sell to its fans. The Crimson Tide will get 18,000 while the Cardinals will receive 10,000.

According to the Courier Journal report, both schools will be granted two 20-person suites, 25 parking passes and 200 complimentary tickets as well as 1,000 tickets at $25 apiece for students.

This is the seventh consecutive season Alabama has opened up at a neutralsite venue. Last season, the Crimson Tide faced FSU at the newly-minted Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Louisville, meanwhile, will open at a neutral site for the second consecutive season, having faced Purdue at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis last season. This is the third time in the previous four seasons in which the program has started things off at a neutral site.