Video: Sugar Bowl helps bring “Science of Football” into classrooms

NEW ORLEANS – On a fall afternoon inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, the latest event sponsored by the Allstate Sugar Bowl had no winners or losers. Instead, 40 middle school teachers assembled to learn about how to bring the game of football into their classrooms.

It’s part of a program called Science of Sport.

The Science of Sport team is led by chief scientist and founder Dr. Ricardo Valerdi and executive director Daren Heaton. They were on hand for the inaugural Science of Football event, which was sponsored by the Sugar Bowl.

A best-selling book – “Moneyball” –  inspired Valerdi to create Science of Sport in 2012.

Football is now the fourth different sport in the Science of Sport family, after baseball, basketball and soccer.

The Science of Football program figures to grow even more next year when New Orleans hosts the College Football Playoff championship game. One of the CFP Foundation’s primary initiatives is the “Extra Yard for Teachers” program.

Watch the video as Dr. Valerdi, Heaton and Allstate Sugar Bowl chief operating officer Jeff Hundley discuss the Science of Football.