Photo from Facebook.com / Camping World Stadium

The only safe assumption about the next game is that a big payday is coming for the University of Louisville football program in this season’s opener against Alabama in the Camping World Kickoff game. A sum of $2.75 million to UofL for agreeing to play in the game.

Not bad but Alabama, last season’s national champion, will take home more than $4.5 million. A far cry from the pre-Atlantic Coast Conference days for the Cardinals when Georgia once paid to get out of a game.

Camping World Stadium, with a seating capacity of approximately 68,000, has been growing ever since it was constructed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936. It was a Works Progress Administration project intended to help end the Great Depression.

The original capacity was 10,000, expanded to 12,000 in 1952, and increased again to 17,000 in 1968. A major expansion occurred in 1976, raising capacity to 50,000 for the Tangerine Bowl. It expanded again, by approximately 18,000 seats in 1980, becoming the Citrus Bowl.

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The largest turnout ever at the Orlando stadium was 74,635 for a Wrestlemania event in 2008. Seriously? Apparently there’s a whole other fan universe out there.

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Card Game is teaming with @Ticket_IQ this season to bring you the best deals on UofL tickets. Support Card Game and find the #LowPriceGuarantee on Louisville football and basketball games. Check out the deals for this weekend.

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By Charlie Springer

Charlie Springer is a former Louisville editor and sportswriter, a public affairs consultant, a UofL grad and longtime fan.