Football fans in the United States of America know very well what a big event the Sugar Bowl is. What started in 1935 has now become a staple tradition for college football games, with history and great emotions attached to it. With the college football landscape in America undergoing a massive overhaul, there is a threat that the Sugar Bowl may lose its prestigious status of hosting a playoff game.
New Orleans Sugar Bowl is all set to host its 90 edition come January 1as they gear up for the college playoff semi-final. As per the schedule, football will return in 2024 and 2025 to the Sugar Bowl for the quarter-finals as part of the expanded playoff structure, but their future hangs in the air after that.
The future of college football is changing
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There is significant history and culture attached to hosting college football games at the Sugar Bowl, and CEO Jeff Hundley, during a meeting with New Orleans business leaders, stated his worries about the ongoing trend.
Cities with less historical significance and connection to football will be vying to host playoff games in the coming years. He urged the business leaders to aid in any way possible to keep the tradition intact and keep the Sugar Bowl alive.
?Costs to participate at the highest level of postseason college football have risen dramatically over the past couple of years, and we expect them to go even higher as the College Football Playoff expands next year,? said Hundley. ?We don?t know how much we will need yet. But we have been told that the cost to play is going up.?
Sugar Bowl and its legacy are in danger
He asked the business leaders to believe in the Sugar Bowl and invest their trust and money into keeping the dream of hosting a college playoff game alive. The Sugar Bowl team has also launched a website to order to facilitate smooth operations and processes for donations. They even listed out the four areas for people to help their cause, namely: ticket sales, sponsorships, education support, and scholarships.
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?Almost every major decision that?s taking place in college athletics revolves around new revenue and increased revenue and we?re trying to find ways to compete there, said Hundley. “We don?t have a contract and there?s a lot of cities that are on the outside looking in that are waving big money around Nashville, San Antonio, Houston, Las Vegas,? he further elaborated.
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Will New Orleans be able to pull together and save its rich footballing history from falling prey to the rising financials, or will the ?New Year?s Six? have a new stadium to build its legacy on? Fans and business owners in New Orleans will certainly be hoping for the former.
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