The Sugar Bowl – one of the most anticipated football games of the year – was postponed by 24 hours after a horrific attack on New Year's Day caused scoreless losses in the city of New Orleans, site of the CFB major quarterfinals.
Jeff HundleyCEO of the Sugar Bowl, announced on Wednesday morning after consultation with that the football game between the second-seeded University of Georgia and the seventh-seeded Notre Dame University would begin shortly before 8:00 p.m. local time on Thursday evening and not on Wednesday evening as planned teams, the television network and others.
“All parties agree that it is in the best interest of everyone and public safety to postpone the game for 24 hours,” Hundley said.
The decision comes after a man intentionally drove his vehicle into a crowd celebrating the New Year on Bourbon Street around 3:15 a.m., according to the FBI. At least ten people were killed and around 35 injured.
“This man tried to run over as many people as possible” Anne Kirkpatrickthe New Orleans PD superintendent said Wednesday.
The FBI says the attack was allegedly carried out by a 42-year-old man by name Shamsud Din Jabbaris being investigated as an act of terrorism.
No one in NOLA wanted to cancel the game, but at the end of the day, people's safety was clearly the priority, they said Congressman Troy Carter from Louisiana.
“The football game is important, it’s a major event,” said Carter. “People have come from all over the country, but nothing is more important than public safety and ensuring we protect citizens and visitors alike.”
The game will still be played at Caesars Superdome…just a mile from the site of the attack.