The March 30 Crescent City Classic 10K race in New Orleans this year has a new title sponsor in the Allstate Sugar Bowl, and first-year Race Dir Eric Stuart said event organizers are “doing a lot of marketing that’s never been done before,” according to Rachel Whittaker of the New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE. Stuart: "We've got 12 billboards that for the last three months have just moved throughout the city." He noted Saints coach Sean Payton agreed to "do a commercial" and is "going to run" in the race. Stuart added, “We’ve redone the website, redone the Facebook page, went to a new registration company and a new host hotel.” He said about 20-25% of the event's runners is "will come in from out of state." Stuart: "We’ve increased the prize money, so there’s more money for the elites.” He said there are “around 12,000” runners registered for the race with about three weeks to go. Stuart: “In the expo in the two days before the race, we did about 4,000 last year. Our course the way we designed it can only fit 28,000 people. If we get somewhere in that 24,000 people, I’d be ecstatic.” He added, “This is always historically a late registration; we were doing terrible through Mardi Gras and the Super Bowl; I think we did 5,000 people last week. We finished like 17,000 last year, registered between 20,000 and 21,000. We should be at sold-out status" (NOLA.com, 3/11).
