Procter & Gamble named official presenting sponsor of annual Bayou Classic

NEW ORLEANS – The Bayou Classic announced today that both Grambling University Foundation, Inc. and the Southern University System Foundation, Inc., have extended their corporate partnership agreement with the Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) to become the Official Presenting Sponsor of the 48th Annual Bayou Classic.

The Bayou Classic, ranked as the No. 1 HBCU Classic in the nation, is the iconic collegiate gridiron matchup between Southern University and Grambling State University. The 48th Annual Bayou Classic, Presented by Procter & Gamble, will be played on Saturday, November 27, 2021 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.

As the Presenting Sponsor of the Bayou Classic, the partnership will provide P&G opportunities to continue to demonstrate its ongoing support of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and leverage the Bayou Classic’s live events, digital and social media assets as well as pre-existing Bayou Classic national broadcast and media rights. The partnership will include promotion of P&G’s brands, including Crest®, Febreze®, Gain Hand Dish Soap, Gain In-Wash Scent Boosters, Microban 24®, Old Spice®, Head & Shoulders Royal Oils and Pantene®, across all Bayou Classic platforms.

“We are extremely excited and grateful that P&G is continuing their tremendous support of HBCUs and the Bayou Classic with this significant sponsorship, which will enable us to further strengthen this historic event and provide a first-class experience for our student-athletes, coaches and fans,” said Dottie Belletto, President and CEO of NOCCI (New Orleans Convention Company, Inc.), the event management firm for the 48th Annual Bayou Classic.

As part of its longstanding commitment to supporting HBCUs, P&G has been a proud partner of the Bayou Classic for more than five years. This presenting sponsor is part of a multiyear partnership agreement between the brand and school foundations.

“P&G is honored to help continue this nearly 50-year-old tradition of bringing families and communities together around shared passions of community building and excellence in education,” said Damon Jones, P&G’s Chief Communications Officer. “Events like the Bayou Classic bring to life the magic of HBCUs and the many elements that make the HBCU experience truly special for generations of students, alumni and their families.”

“Significant investments in the Bayou Classic are essential to our efforts to strengthen the most vibrant football classic in college sports,” said Grambling State University President Rick Gallot. “I want to thank P&G’s leadership for their outstanding partnership and generous support of our deserving students.”

“I am excited and honored, on behalf of the entirety of the Jaguar Nation, to welcome consumer products giant Procter & Gamble as the official Presenting Sponsor of the 48th Annual Bayou Classic,” added Ray L. Belton, President-Chancellor, Southern University System. “This expanded partnership will strengthen the continuing support to our historic Classic in meaningful ways and benefit our campuses, students, alumni, fans, and communities. We salute P&G for their commitment to higher education, Southern and Grambling, and to Historically Black Colleges and Universities.”

About Procter & Gamble
P&G serves consumers around the world with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always®, Ambi Pur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Fairy®, Febreze®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks®, and Whisper®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and information about P&G and its brands. For other P&G news, visit us at www.pg.com/news.

About Bayou Classic
The legendary game between Grambling State University and Southern University, the Bayou Classic has proven to be a steadfast beacon of legacy and tradition that extends beyond the HBCU community. Fans from across the nation journey to witness the electrifying football game between Grambling State and Southern, while eagerly awaiting the highly anticipated halftime show featuring two of the greatest marching bands in the nation. For more information, visit www.mybayouclassic.com.