NEW ORLEANS –Again this year the 40th Annual Bayou Classic brought several family-friendly events to New Orleans and thousands of visitors to the city of New Orleans.

The Bayou Classic is the annual extravaganza bringing the fans and alumni of Southern University and Grambling State University to New Orleans each November for a celebration of football, family and the traditions and pageantry surrounding Historically Black Colleges and Universities. With an estimated economic impact of $50 million, the Bayou Classic is an important event for the City of New Orleans.

The attendance at this year's Bayou Classic was 24,897 for Battle of the Bands and Greek Show and 47,385 for the 40th Annual Bayou Classic game.

Once again this year, the Bayou Classic saw an increase in attendance. And, as reported annually by the online news site HBCU Lifestyle, Bayou Classic stayed in its position as the second largest HBCU Football Classic in the nation as ranked by attendance.

"It is exciting to see the continued increase in attendance for our events again this year," said Dottie Belletto, President and CEO of New Orleans Convention Company, Inc. (NOCCI), the management firm of the Bayou Classic. "The Bayou Classic has always been about football as well as the festive meeting of rival teams, bands and fraternities and sororities in competition for bragging rights until the next year. Our efforts to broaden the events and festivities for Bayou Classic are making the impact we wanted – more visitors and more attendees."

The city also hosted Bayou Classic with no major incidents again this year.

"As always, it was a pleasure to host Bayou Classic fans this past weekend. Our department deployed more of our officers into the French Quarter and Downtown hotel areas to make sure our locals as well as the thousands of visitors who came in town for the festivities had an enjoyable and safe experience. These crowds come to New Orleans every year simply to have a good time, and the NOPD is proud to note that this year's Classic included no major crime incidents. We look forward to our friends coming back next year," stated New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Ronal Serpas.