Bayou Classic a hot ticket but has its challenges
21st November 2016 · 0 Comments
Widely known as the premier Black college sporting event, the Bayou Classic is a highly anticipated rivalry between the Grambling State University Tigers and Southern University Jaguars, encompassing a weeklong series of social, cultural and athletic events in New Orleans over the Thanksgiving holidays.
Since the game was first played in New Orleans in 1974, the Bayou Classic has grown exponentially in both scope and popularity and is now televised nationally every November.
The annual holiday event brings together hundreds of thousands of friends, loved ones, former classmates, sports aficionados and supporters of historically Black institutions of higher learning at a time of the year when business is usually slow in the Crescent City. The Bayou Classic, with all of its events ranging from a fraternity/sorority step show, battle of the bands, football contest, fan festival, career fair, Gospel brunch and parade, reportedly has an economic impact of $50 million on the City of New Orleans.
Although there has been discussions in the past about moving the Bayou Classic to Atlanta or Houston to get a better deal for the two participating HBCUs and better hotel rates for fans, the game has been held in New Orleans every year except 2005, the year Hurricane Katrina flooded 80 percent of the city and the Mercedes-Benz Superdome needed major repairs after the devastating storm.
Since State Farm ended its role as the Bayou Classic’s title sponsor, there have been whispers about the authenticity and the flavor of the annual event being compromised, in part because the white business community and the local tourism industry are reportedly calling most of the shots with regard to the slate of events and organizers from Southern and Grambling have reportedly been forced to take a back seat with regard to planning and conducting business.
“It does seem to be a little watered-down over the past few years, almost like it’s being set up to fail or is being planned and marketed by someone outside of the Black community,” Kim Alexander, a Southern University fan, told The Louisiana Weekly Tuesday. “If I didn’t love Southern so much, I would have been stopped coming to the Battle of the Bands and the game, but every year it’s getting harder to convince my friends to go to the game.”
Others have complained about restaurants, bars and stores in the CBD and French Quarter that shut down just days before the Bayou Classic and don’t re-open until the throngs of fans leave town.
“It doesn’t look good for the city, especially a majority-Black city,” Southern alum Reginald Barnes told The Louisiana Weekly. “Some of these businesses say it has nothing to do with the Bayou Classic or the many Black fans who come to town, but it’s hard to convince many fans otherwise.”
While some of the businesses have said in the past that Bayou Classic fans don’t tip very well and that it’s difficult to find employees willing to work over the Bayou Classic weekend, others denied any claims or racism or snubbing Southern and Grambling fans.
Some longtime Bayou Classic fans like GSU supporter Michelle Harris said last week that crime and safety concerns have prompted her to spend less time out with friends and former classmates at the events.
Adding to that concern was a shooting on Bourbon Street during the Bayou Classic weekend last year and a shooting on early Wednesday, Nov. 16. Police recovered two handguns last week but have found no victims hit by the gunfire.
“It’s a little bit too much,” Harris told The Louisiana Weekly last week. “It’s not just the Bayou Classic, it’s New Orleans. There are not a lot of events that could convince me to come out at night to the CBD or even be out after the sun goes down.”
She said that although she has tickets to the game, she will likely give them away and watch the game in the comfort and safety of her home with friends and loved ones.
“If I feel up to it, I might make it downtown for the Sunday Gospel brunch at the House of Blues,” Harris added. “And maybe visit Canal Place or the Riverwalk — maybe.”
This year’s game will showcase talented SU and GSU teams vying for the SWAC West title and a chance to play in the SWAC championship game in Houston, TX on Dec. 3. At press time, Grambling (8-1, 7-0 SWAC) and Southern (7-2, 7-0 SWAC) were preparing to play Texas Southern University and Mississippi Valley State University respectively on Nov. 19 before gearing up for the Nov. 26 matchup in New Orleans.
Proceeds from the Bayou Classic events provide support to the campuses’ athletic programs and fund scholarships through the GSU Foundation and the SU System Foundation.
For a complete list of Bayou Classic activities, visit www.mybayouclassic.com.
This article originally published in the November 21, 2016 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.
