LSU and BYU officials yesterday announced Saturday's game scheduled to be played at Houston's NRG Stadium has been "relocated" to New Orleans' Mercedes-Benz Superdome, according to Jay Drew of the SALT LAKE TRIBUNE. The game, part of the AdvoCare Texas Kickoff, will "still be televised by ESPN." But officials said that "massive flooding and other complications brought on by Hurricane Harvey" made moving the game "a necessity." LSU AD Joe Alleva said that organizers "looked at a half-dozen other possible venues after determining the game could not be played in Houston." Along with the Superdome, those were "believed to be" in Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Camping World Stadium in Orlando, EverBank Field in Jacksonville, AT&T Stadium in Dallas and LSU's Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 8/29).
GIVING BACK: In Baton Rouge, Ross Dellenger writes a dozen years after so many locals "fled to Houston to escape Hurricane Katrina’s wrath, the Crescent City’s most prominent sports venue is opening its arms for a game first scheduled in its neighboring state." Superdome GM Alan Freeman said, "We’re repaying a favor. Folks in Houston took care of the population here after Katrina. They opened their arms to us." The Superdome "emerged Sunday as a potential landing spot for the game." Officials yesterday "created and sent" to the Texans a proposed contract to host. The discussions "among New Orleans, the Superdome and the Saints -- on one side -- and Houston game officials, most notably ESPN and the Texans (the game’s co-owners), began briefly Friday." Superdome officials are "treating the game as if it were in Houston, brandishing the arena -- inside and out -- with AdvoCare Texas Kickoff signage." The turf is "expected to have the same logos and emblems as what was planned at NRG Stadium." Freeman said, "If you were watching on TV and only saw the field, you would think it was in Houston" (Baton Rouge ADVOCATE, 8/29).
THREE'S ENOUGH: In New Orleans, Andrew Lopez notes this will mark the "third year in a row LSU had a game away from home moved to another location." Both of the previous games were "moved to Tiger Stadium." A '15 game against South Carolina moved to Baton Rouge "due to floods" and a '16 game against Florida was "moved after it was postponed due to Hurricane Matthew" (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 8/29).
