FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, April 11th, 2013
NBC SPORTS GROUP EXTENDS ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BAYOU CLASSIC
NBC’s Coverage of Grambling-Southern Rivalry Began in 1991 and Now Continues Through 2015 Contest
NEW YORK – April 11, 2013 – The NBC Sports Group will continue to broadcast the Bayou Classic, a Thanksgiving weekend tradition, through the 2015 contest, it was announced today by the NBC Sports Group, Southern University System and Grambling State University.
NBC Sports has been the home of the Bayou Classic, a classic matchup of the Southern University Jaguars and the Grambling State University Tigers that takes place annually on Thanksgiving weekend, since 1991.
“The Bayou Classic is a slice of Americana, and at the end of this agreement we will have broadcast this iconic event for 26 straight years,” said Gary Quinn, Vice President, Programming and Owned Properties, NBC Sports Group. “We look forward to continuing to broadcast this Thanksgiving weekend tradition to college football fans across the country.”
“As we celebrate the 40th Annual Bayou Classic, it is exciting that we continue our long-standing relationship with NBC Sports,” said Dottie Belletto, President of New Orleans Convention Companies, Inc., the management firm of The 40th Annual Bayou Classic. “The Bayou Classic features one of America’s greatest college sports rivalries, bringing the fans and alumni of Southern University and Grambling State University together for a celebration of football, family and the traditions and pageantry surrounding Historically Black Colleges and Universities. And if they cannot be with us in person, this national broadcast brings them together at home to celebrate the rich traditions of HBCUs across the country.”
One of the highlights of the NBC’s broadcasts is the renowned “Battle of the Bands” halftime show, during which the marching bands of both Southern University and Grambling State University put on an exciting display of talent.
The first ever Bayou Classic, won 21-0 by Grambling, was played in New Orleans’ Tulane Stadium in 1974.
