Derek Morel and Risa Hall join Allstate Sugar Bowl staff

NEW ORLEANS – Derek Morel and Risa Hall have officially joined the staff of the Allstate Sugar Bowl, the Bowl announced on Tuesday. Morel will be the organization’s Executive Vice President for Sales & Marketing, and Hall will serve as the Sugar Bowl’s Senior Director, Administration and Major Events.

“We’re thrilled to have Derek and Risa on the Sugar Bowl team,” said the Bowl’s Chief Operating Officer Jeff Hundley. “Both are extremely talented and possess the unique skill sets and experience that will serve the organization as it faces the unique challenges we have ahead.”

Both staff additions have extensive background in the New Orleans community. Hall helped coordinate efforts for the 2012 NCAA Men’s Final Four in New Orleans before serving as the director of the local organizing committee for the 2013 NCAA Women’s Final Four. As a member of the staff of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, she assisted with the 2014 NBA All-Star Game and WWE WrestleMania in 2014. Morel, a New Orleans native and a graduate of Archbishop Shaw, comes to the Sugar Bowl after a successful six-year run as the director of intercollegiate athletics for the University of New Orleans.

At UNO, Morel handled oversight of all aspects of the Privateers’ 14 Division I sports programs. He oversaw all department staff, coordinated all donor and sponsor relations and managed the department’s budget while developing and executing an overall strategic plan.

Prior to UNO, Morel was responsible for the management of sponsorships and multi-media rights for Wake Forest University from 2008-12. He was the senior associate director of athletics for external operations for the University of Pittsburgh from 2006-08 and he also had stints at the University of Georgia, Tulane University, St. Bonaventure University and Northwestern State University.

A graduate of LSU with a journalism degree, Morel earned his master’s degree in sports administration and facility management from Ohio University.

A Missouri native who grew up in St. Louis and Kansas City, Hall is a graduate of Xavier University of Louisiana with a bachelor’s degree in mass communication, and of the University of North Texas where she obtained her master’s degree in journalism. She worked with the NFL’s Houston Texans, and was on the management team for the 2011 NCAA Men’s Final Four in Houston. Following her time with the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, she returned to Houston to serve as the director of community relations for the 2016 Final Four.

The Allstate Sugar Bowl has established itself as one of the premier college football bowl games, having hosted 28 national champions, 93 Hall of Fame players, 49 Hall of Fame coaches and 18 Heisman Trophy winners in its 84-year history. The 85th Allstate Sugar Bowl Football Classic, featuring top teams from the Big 12 and the SEC, will be played on January 1, 2019. In addition to football, the Sugar Bowl Committee annually invests over $1.6 million into the community through the hosting and sponsorship of sporting events, awards and clinics. Through these efforts, the organization supports and honors nearly 100,000 student-athletes each year, while injecting over $2.5 billion into the local economy in the last decade. For more information, visit www.AllstateSugarBowl.org.