The fact that Alabama and Florida State will play in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game to open the 2017 season is no surprise.

Tide coach Nick Saban and Seminoles coach Jimbo Fisher have worked together before. Neutral-site games between power-conference opponents are more and more common. And Saban has a propensity for these early-season matchups, which he says are a great motivator during the offseason.

There’s another motivation, or at least a very beneficial byproduct, of these games: cash. As in, truckloads.

Alabama and Florida State each will receive a $5 million payout for participating in the game, according to the Tallahassee Democrat.

Considering Saban made $7.2 million in 2014, the game against FSU almost will cover his entire salary for the year.

According to the Democrat story, the huge payout isn’t the only compensation the schools will receive:

  • 100 free hotel rooms in Atlanta the night before the game
  • A $50,000 scholarship
  • Free tickets to the College Football Hall of Fame
  • 30,000 game tickets priced between $125 and $250

The game will take place in the new Atlanta stadium, which will replace the Georgia Dome.

Fisher served as Saban’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach on the LSU team that won the 2003 BCS National Championship. Unless the teams meet in the 2015 or 2016 College Football Playoff or in a bowl game, the ’17 opener will be the first game between Fisher and Saban as head coaches.