LSU Gold

LSU-Arizona State Game Moved to Tempe, Ariz.

by LSUsports.net (@LSUsports)
Complete GameDay Coverage +0
LSU-Arizona State Game Moved to Tempe, Ariz.

BATON ROUGE — LSU’s home football game against Arizona State on Saturday has been moved to Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Ariz., as the recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina continue in Baton Rouge.

The LSU campus, particularly its athletic venues, has played a central role in medical services during the recovery effort. Those activities, as well as other factors resulting from the aftermath of the hurricane, have created logistical problems for the football game that was scheduled for 7:45 p.m. Saturday in Tiger Stadium.

The game in Tempe, Ariz., will start at 8:15 p.m. CDT, which is 6:15 p.m. in Arizona.

“There are considerable logistical issues that either affect the execution of a football game, or detract from providing recovery services in this time of need,” said LSU Chancellor Sean O’Keefe. “We have collected as much information as possible and deliberated this issue carefully over the weekend, but the myriad of details and questions that remain unresolved dictate this move.”

The use of athletics facilities for the hurricane recovery effort may impact the game, based on the intensity of medical recovery activity in the Carl Maddox Field House, Pete Maravich Assembly Center or Bernie Moore Track during the coming week. LSU has assured immediate access to these medical evacuation units to meet fluctuating and varied demand. For a football game, all parking lots north of Tiger Stadium would likely be unavailable, and traffic flow may be greatly curtailed.

“There are so many things that we don’t know right now, and that we won’t know until later in the week when it would be too late to change the site of the game,” said LSU athletics director Skip Bertman. “We certainly need to support the medical services and there is no indication that they will diminish in the days ahead.”

Among the significant issues is the securing of hotel rooms for the Arizona State football team and traveling party, Southeastern Conference game officials and members of the ESPN television crew. LSU officials have advised fans that hotels are booked and evacuees from the southeast Louisiana parishes have the highest priority.

Services normally provided for a football game at Tiger Stadium could also be impacted as many medical personnel and health care organizations usually assigned for LSU football games are involved in hurricane recovery services.

“We are thankful to Arizona State University President Michael Crow, athletics department personnel and the Fiesta Bowl who have already worked out a number of local details for making this game happen in Tempe on such short notice,” O’Keefe said. “They are prepared to make travel and hotel arrangements for our team and traveling party, and Arizona State has agreed to schedule a return trip to Baton Rouge in the future.”

LSU will now play only six home football games during the 2005 football season. Bertman said LSU will develop a plan in the near future for addressing ticket and parking issues for season ticket holders who have already paid for a schedule of seven home football games.