Sports – The Lafayette Daily Advertiser – www.theadvertiser.com

More discussion of the New Orleans Bowl moving to Lafayette. An interesting quote from the NO Bowl executive director, “We’re looking for a community that will in effect take ownership in the event, and today showed us that exists here.”

While it is obvious that the New Orleans Bowl cannot be played in New Orleans in 2005, most estimates are that it will take a year to get the Superdome back in playing condition. The site selected to host the 2005 New Orleans Bowl very possibly may be the site of the 2006. Two successful seasons in Lafayette could lead to a decision to leave the game in Lafayette.

Lafayette, even with a permanent increase of population post-Katrina, would be the smallest metropolitan area to host a bowl game, but they need only look north up I-49 for a lesson on how to have a bowl game in the current smallest metro region. Shreveport is the current smallest metro region but they have developed a very strong local grassroots sponsorship network that allows the Independence Bowl to be around the middle of the pack in pay-out per team. A similar model if successful in Lafayette would make the city a contender to become the permanent home of the game or even the home a new game if the game returns to New Orleans.

Sports – The Lafayette Daily Advertiser – www.theadvertiser.com