NEW ORLEANS – On Friday, Oct. 7, the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation hosted its second annual Honors Luncheon on the turf of the Caesars Superdome. After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the luncheon returned to celebrate the region’s sports teams, recognize Stephen Perry of New Orleans and Company, and induct longtime board members David Sherman and Paul Valteau, Jr. into the Sports Foundation Hall of Fame.
Joining the lineup were James Carville and Cooper Manning. Carville led a panel discussion on current trends and topics impacting decision-makers in the Louisiana sports industry, including Dr. Kiki Baker Barnes of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, Troy Dannen of Tulane, Tim Duncan of UNO, Scott Woodward of LSU and Dennis Lauscha of the Saints and Pelicans.
Cooper Manning recapped the resilience of the Sports Foundation and the hospitality community in hosting the successful 2022 Men’s Final Four that drew more than 70,000 basketball fans to New Orleans. Manning reviewed the years leading up to the event, highlighting the unprecedented adversity and how the New Orleans people proved resilient with the return of this major sporting event.
Manning also unveiled the branding and logo that will represent the 2025 Super Bowl LIX Host Committee, led by the Sports Foundation and the New Orleans Saints. Local strategic branding firm Communify designed a logo that embodies the spirit of New Orleans. The logo centers around a bass drum and represents different, unique aspects of the city, including an homage to the 11 Super Bowls hosted locally, brass bands, and historic French Quarter ironwork.
“We worked hand in hand with the Sports Foundation to design a logo that invoked the spirit of New Orleans – hospitality, culture, and entertainment,” said Communify President Dustin Woehrmann. “Music is such an important part of our city, and the beat of the drum alerts us that something exciting is coming. We wanted rhythm and the feeling of connection to be conveyed in the 2025 Super Bowl LIX Host Committee branding.”
Additionally, New Orleans and Company’s President/CEO J. Stephen Perry was the 2022 Honors Luncheon special honoree. Perry was recognized for 20 years of leadership and his significant role in the bids for Super Bowls, NCAA Men’s and Women’s Final Fours, NBA All-Star Games and WrestleMania.
“The Sports Foundation’s ultimate mission of bringing large-scale sporting events to the City of New Orleans would not be possible without the support of our dedicated members, including David Sherman and Sheriff Paul Valteau Jr. and industry advocate J. Stephen Perry,” said Sports Foundation President and CEO Jay Cicero. “The support these individuals have given us is unmatched, and we thank them for their service to our united cause.”
