In the wake of the Bourbon Street attack early Wednesday morning,
officials postponed the Allstate Sugar Bowl game until today to provide additional security at the Caesars Superdome. The kickoff is set for 3 p.m.
The decision to postpone the game to Thursday will allow for additional security resources to be put in place "in order to maintain the typical standards of a major event in the Caesars Superdome," the Sugar Bowl organization said. It did not specify the new measures.
But here is some of what fans attending the game between the University of Georgia and Notre Dame
can expect:
- Clear bag policy. The Sugar Bowl is encouraging attendees not to bring any bags to the game. But fans can carry clear totes not exceeding 12 inches by six inches by 12 inches, one-gallon clear storage bags or 6.5 inch-by-4.5 clutch purses.
- Mobile ticketing. All ticketing will be mobile, so attendees will need their phones to enter.
- Cashless. Caesars Superdome is a cashless venue for merchandise, concessions and parking. But some areas will have conversion from cash to Visa gift cards available.
- Parking security screening. Garages will open at 9 a.m. and parking passes can be purchased in advance. All vehicles parking in Superdome garages will undergo security screening. Rideshare pick-up and drop off will be at Duncan Plaza.
- The Superdome doors won't open until 1 p.m.
Tickets purchased for the originally-scheduled Wednesday
game are valid today.
Wednesday's postponement was a first in the 91-year history of the Sugar Bowl, but officials said it was the prudent move.
"Any time we have an event like the Sugar Bowl, public safety is paramount, and all parties involved agree that could only be achieved with a postponement," Jeff Hundley, the CEO of the Sugar Bowl, said. "Now we will move ahead to take care of the details to make the Sugar Bowl the first-class, fun, and safe event that it has been for over 90 years."
The organization said they made the decision in coordination with federal, state, and local authorities as well as the two universities, Caesars Superdome and ESPN, which will stream the game.
The game, originally scheduled for New Year's Day at 7:45 p.m. was initially postponed 24 hours, but both Georgia and Notre Dame requested an earlier start time. As the investigation into the mass killing that the FBI is investigating as a terrorist attack unfolds, officials noted on Wednesday that the start time could technically still change.
Thousands of Georgia and Notre Dame fans flocked to the city in anticipation of the game, one of four quarterfinal contests in the CFP. And both teams were staying at hotels downtown near the site of the attack, but sources said they were not among those evacuated.
At the close of a Wednesday afternoon press conference, Gov. Jeff Landry responded to a reporter's question about how he could be confident that the game would be safe on Thursday.
"I'm going to be there," the governor said.
Later that day, Landry posted on social media in front of Bon Ton Prime Rib steakhouse in the CBD with the caption: "Ate dinner tonight in New Orleans. Proud to be a part of this incredibly resilient city. See everyone at the game tomorrow!"
Major sporting events are rarely postponed. In recent years, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic put sports on hold nationwide. And for New Orleans, Hurricane Katrina's destruction of the Superdome required the Saints to play their 2005 season in Baton Rouge and New Jersey.
"This decision to postpone the game was not done lightly," said U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, D-Louisiana. "It was done with one single thing in mind — public safety."
