NEW ORLEANS — The Faculty Soccer Playoff quarterfinal on the Sugar Bowl between Georgia and Notre Dame has been postponed after a truck plowed right into a New 12 months’s crowd a couple of mile away early Wednesday, killing at the least 10 folks.
The sport, initially scheduled for Wednesday night time on the 70,000-seat Superdome, has been pushed again 24 hours to Thursday night time.
“For now, that’s the plan,” Sugar Bowl CEO Jeff Hundley mentioned.
The Superdome was on lockdown for safety sweeps on Wednesday morning, when folks with workplaces within the Superdome — together with officers with the Sugar Bowl and Solar Belt Convention — have been informed to not come into work till additional discover.
Some credentialed Superdome workers have been permitted into workplaces by Wednesday afternoon.
The casualties occurred when a driver rammed a pickup truck right into a crowd of revelers in New Orleans’ famed French Quarter early on New 12 months’s Day. The driving force was killed in a firefight with police following the assault at about 3:15 a.m. alongside Bourbon Road close to Canal Road, the FBI mentioned.
The Georgia and Notre Dame soccer groups arrived in New Orleans on Sunday and have been staying at downtown motels simply blocks away from the place the violence occurred.
An announcement from the College of Georgia Athletic Affiliation mentioned that “all group personnel and members of the official group journey social gathering have been accounted for.”
New Orleans Metropolis Council President Helena Moreno informed WDSU-TV: “What you’ll see right now for the Sugar Bowl, which can go on, is that the perimeter for safety across the Superdome has been prolonged to be a bigger zone.”
“So count on clearly further safety. There are extra law enforcement officials who’re coming in.”
The Superdome, which is about 20 blocks away, is also scheduled to host the Tremendous Bowl on Feb. 9.
The primary Tremendous Bowl after the terrorist assaults of Sept. 11, 2001, additionally was held in New Orleans, and there was a large safety perimeter for that sport together with avenue closures surrounding the Superdome and officers — together with snipers — on the tops of surrounding high-rise buildings, in addition to on the roof of the dome itself.
“We’re deeply saddened by the information of the devastating incident in New Orleans,” the NFL mentioned in an announcement. “The NFL and the native host committee have been working collaboratively with native, state and federal businesses the previous two years and have developed complete safety plans.
“These planning periods will proceed as they do with all main NFL occasions,” the assertion continued. “We’re assured attendees may have a protected and pleasing Tremendous Bowl expertise.”
AP Professional Soccer Author Rob Maaddi in Clearwater, Florida, and AP Sports activities Author Paul Newberry in Atlanta contributed to this report.
