Bayou Classic needs attendance boost, Grambling's Doug Williams says

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana  --  Grambling Coach Doug Williams walked into the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Tuesday and went down memory lane when he saw the scoreboard with 39th annual Bayou Classic in big bold letters. It also made him long for the good old days.

Williams, who was a quarterback at Grambling and then went on to a stellar NFL career, played in the first Bayou Classic in 1974 when it was contested in Tulane Stadium.

“To walk out at Tulane Stadium and there are 80,000 people in that stadium was a shock to me,’’ said Williams, who next year will celebrate his 25th anniversary of being the MVP of Super Bowl XXII where the Washington Redskins defeated the Denver Broncos, 42-10, in 1988. Williams was the first African-American quarterback to start a Super Bowl game.

So consider how Williams felt last year, when only 40,175 attended the Bayou Classic, the lowest count ever.

“Last year was a very big shock to me,’’ Williams said. “I am concerned. Hopefully, those concerns get worked out. I would hate to see this game return to a home-and-home situation. It’s been good for both schools and New Orleans for so many years. That would be the worst-case scenario. I think we have to find a way to get the attendance up and make sure the game stays in New Orleans.




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