The Allstate Sugar Bowl, born in the depths of the
Great Depression, has survived many di culties,
including a World War and a devastating hurricane,
and still ranks as one of the most uniquely successful
amateur athletic achievements in the history of
American sports.
Behind the Sugar Bowl is a story of community spirit
and initiative that has been instrumental in spreading
the name and fame of New Orleans worldwide.
Colonel James M. Thompson, publisher of The New
Orleans Item, and sports editor Fred Digby ï¬rst
presented the idea of a New Year’s Day football
classic in New Orleans in 1927.
From its inception, the Mid-Winter Sports Association
has been free of political entanglement. Under the
charter it was stipulated that it was to be a “voluntary,
non-proï¬t civic organization whose members serve
without remuneration.” In practice, this means that
every Sugar Bowler buys his own tickets to all events.
Further, the charter provided that there shall be no
private proï¬ts, and any surplus above the required
operation expenses or reserve fund must be devoted
to “charitable, religious or educational purposes.”
The Sugar Bowl, which celebrated its 75th Anniversary
with the 2009 game, is comprised of more than 100
male and female volunteer members whose sole
purpose is to sponsor and promote amateur sporting
events as well as to foster revenue to spark economic
growth in the city of New Orleans and the State of
Louisiana.
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