SEC Commissioner Talks Sugar Bowl Postponement Amid New Orleans Attack As Fans, Pundits Debate

Wednesday’s Sugar Bowl game between Georgia and Notre Dame has been postponed after the deadly attack in New Orleans, in which at least 10 people were killed.

SEC Commissioner Greg Sanky released a statement saying the decision was made in the best interest public safety.

“The decision to postpone tonight’s Sugar Bowl was made in the best interest of public safety. Lives were tragically lost last night, and we are grateful that public officials and law enforcement agencies continue to work diligently to keep the New Orleans community safe,” Sankey said. .

The University of Notre Dame and President Robert A. Dowd released a statement praying for the safety of those affected.

University of Georgia President Jere W. Morehead also made a statement.

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The FBI is currently working to determine the subject’s “potential association and affiliation with terrorist organizations,” after an ISIS flag was found in the truck. Weapons and a potential IED were located in the suspect’s vehicle, and other potential IEDs were also located in the French Quarter.

Some college football fans and social media pundits were divided on the decision to postpone the game after the tragedy. Some fans agreed with the decision to postpone the game, while others expressed outrage.

Fox Sports panelist Rachel Nichols voiced support for the postponement in a post on X.

“I’m glad the Sugar Bowl is being postponed. It’s the right call. Sending love to everyone in New Orleans,” Nichols wrote.

However, one X user responded to Nichols’ dissent, suggesting that a delay would “allow the terrorists to win.”

“With all due respect, I disagree. Delay means the people behind this callous attack are winning. Let’s not let them win. We should not bow to them no matter how extreme they are,” the user wrote.

Conservative commentator John Ziegler also expressed disagreement with the delay in a post on X.

“This is wrong. Postponing the Sugar Bowl for one day will do nothing to bring back those who lost their lives, or make the game any safer. In fact, if gives the terrorists exactly what they wanted. We have become SO soft as a society in almost every way” , Ziegler wrote.

“People who say ‘you can never be too safe’ seem to be pretending there are no housing costs to postpone an event the size of the Sugar Bowl. Tens of thousands of people traveled to New Orleans without a hotel for tomorrow night, or flight reservations for Friday.”

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Another X user responded to Zieglier, suggesting that postponing the Sugar Bowl would give police more room to find other potential targets in the area.

“Reasons why it’s not wrong: It allows more time to catch bad guys who may be looking for another soft target; it also allows 24 hours to feel sadness and shock in honor of the somber day and those lives lost,” the user wrote , to which Ziegler responded : “Yes, no.”

Meanwhile, WKRG sports reporter Simone Eli slammed those complaining about the game being postponed, citing reports of other potential explosives in the city.

“People are upset about the Sugar Bowl being postponed and ‘giving power’ to anyone – might want to check reports of bombs being found and detonated across the city of New Orleans. Football can wait. Nothing is worth losing more lives. I won’t argue,” she wrote. is Eli on X.

The delay followed reports that the Superdome, home of the New Orleans Saints, was initially closed for security searches and that people with offices inside the stadium were told not to enter the field until further notice.

Alethea Duncan of the FBI in New Orleans noted during a news conference Wednesday that the FBI does not believe the prime suspect in the attack, Shamsud Din Jabbar, is “solely responsible” for the act. The police warned that there could be further danger in the city.

Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy also called out those who criticized the game’s postponement.

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“Okay, so it’s delayed. And the people who say that moving forward by 24 hours allows the terrorists to win are idiots. It’s [one] day. Secure the area. Do what you have to. Postponing the game for 24 hours doesn’t allow them to win,” Portnoy wrote on X.

According to a statement from the FBI, a man driving a Ford pickup truck crashed into a crowd of people on Bourbon Street around 3:15 a.m. local time. The suspect, identified as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, exchanged fire with local police before being pronounced dead at the scene.

At least 10 people were killed and 35 injured as a result of the alleged terrorist attack.

The Superdome is just a mile from the site of Wednesday morning’s deadly attack.

Georgia and Notre Dame arrived in New Orleans on Sunday and reportedly stayed in hotels just blocks away from the crime scene. According to reports, both schools have set up a “shelter” for the teams.

Fox News Digital’s Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.

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