In the aftermath of a deadly New Year’s Day terrorist attack in New Orleans, security measures for the Sugar Bowl have been heightened to match those typically seen at the Super Bowl.
New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick announced on NBC’s Today that hundreds of officers and staff would be deployed, particularly around Bourbon Street.
The decision to ramp up security comes after a tragic Bourbon Street terror attack in the early morning hours of New Year’s Day. At least 14 individuals, not including the perpetrator, lost their lives during the heinous attack, while numerous others were injured and/or hospitalized.
The Sugar Bowl, featuring a matchup between the Georgia Bulldogs and Notre Dame Fighting Irish, was postponed to Thursday at 4 p.m. ET due to the incident.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry confirmed his attendance at the game to reassure the public about the safety measures, and Kirkpatrick emphasized the city’s readiness to provide a safe environment despite the tragedy.
Fans Don’t Seem Ready
The incident deeply affected fans from both teams in the city for the game.
Some fans, like Lisa Borrelli from Philadelphia, decided to leave New Orleans rather than stay for the rescheduled match, according to the Daily Mail.
Ticket prices dropped sharply, reports suggest. Following the attack and subsequent postponement, ticket prices on StubHub for the Sugar Bowl dropped dramatically, with some seats available for as little as $13. Even the most premium seats saw a significant price reduction, listing at $446 on the platform compared to over $1,700 prior to Wednesday.
Borelli said she was disappointed as a fan from multiple standpoints.
“Of course, we’re disappointed to miss it and to lose so much money on it, but at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter,” she told the outlet. “We’re fortunate enough that we’ll be fine.”
Despite the tragedy, some fans chose to remain, adjusting their plans to attend the game. The mood among fans has been described as somber, with many grappling with the events of the morning.
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No Further Threat
Aside from the obvious interruption of the Sugar Bowl, the football world was also rocked upon learning that one of the victims of the New Orleans attack was a former football player for the Princeton Tigers.
Tiger Bech, who twice earned second-team All-Ivy League honors during his playing days, was identified as one of the victims who the attacker struck.
He was just 28 years old.
Suspect Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S. Army veteran from Texas, drove a truck into a crowd in an apparent ISIS-inspired terrorist attack.
Jabbar was killed in a subsequent shootout with police. The FBI claims that the killer acted alone despite initial reports suggesting otherwise and has impressed that there is no further threat to the public.
