But in those kickoff classics at neutral sites, somebody is still giving up a potential true home game. If you were going to have 8 home games and you give one away, then you're at 7. If you still have 8, then that means the other guy gave up a home game. When Texas played UCLA at JerryWorld several years back, it was actually their home game, that they were willing to have in Arlington for recruiting/exposure purposes.
I guess one good thing about having such strong and "present" big money donors, is that there's really no danger of us giving up a home game to play elsewhere even if it's nearby. They already lose one home game every other year due to the Cotton Bowl, and they're not about to sacrifice using their luxury suites any more often than that. They pay for those by the season, not by the game, and they don't get any type of discount when we're playing away.
It's why I laugh at all the people who suggest the TX-OU game would ever go to JerryWorld if it left the Cotton Bowl. There's absolutely zero chance that Texas big money would be willing to sacrifice their luxury suites and instead be forced to rent them from the carpetbagger from Arkansas. If the series ever leaves the Cotton Bowl, it'll go home-and-home.