Bayou Classic: an unforgettable event for HBCU students, fans

From its inception in 1974 to now, the State Farm Bayou Classic has been the game for African Americans from all over to enjoy as their own personal Super bowl of HBCUs.
Year after year, thousands of fans flock to New Orleans for the Bayou Classic. However, the Classic is more than the football game. Fans can take part in a number of events such as the Miss Bayou Classic Pageant, Battle of the Bands and the Greek show just to name a few.
The annual game between rival schools, Grambling State University and Southern University, used to alternate between the schools’ stadiums before the crowds began to outgrow the local venues. At that time, Southern’s stadium only seated 20,000 people, while Grambling’s held 16,000.
Collie J. Nicholson, a former Grambling sports information director, sensed that the game had outgrown its humble beginnings. Nicholson came up with a plan to promote the rivalry between the two schools.
Nicholson was the man responsible for the Classic’s move to New Orleans. In April 1972, Nicholson received a call from the New York office of NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle, asking him to accompany Rozelle’s assistant Buddy Young, on a fact-finding trip to New Orleans.
Rozelle’s spokesman explained that New Orleans was in the process of filing an application for an NFL franchise and that the Superdome, which was then under construction, would serve as home to the venue.
Nicholson and Young met in New Orleans where the two participated in exploratory meetings headed by innovative entrepreneur Dave Dixon, Mayor Moon Landreau, St. Louis Cardinals owner B.W. Bidwell and other Crescent City officials.
What Nicholson heard and observed about the Superdome would play a role in renovating downtown New Orleans, and could possibly serve as the new home for the rivalry between the two schools.
At the time, Grambling had competed in successful classic games at Yankee Stadium in New York, the Astrodome in Houston, and Soldier Field in Chicago — all products of Nicholson’s imagination.
Head of GSU public relations at the time, Nicholson suggested that the game be moved to the New Orleans Superdome. But in 1974, the Superdome was still under construction, so the game moved to Shreveport’s Fair Park Stadium, as a test-market game. That game drew 42,000 fans.
The next year, the game was moved to New Orleans and hosted at Tulane’s stadium. That game drew where it hosted a crowd of 76,000 people. Finally in 1976 the Superdome was completed and 81,000 fans showed up for the annual rivalry. This was the new home of the Bayou Classic.
Today, the Bayou Classic is a multi-million-dollar game. The Classic is televised live on NBC, and is one of the most popular Black college football games.