If you think college football is about student athletes and education and tradition then you are living in a dream world. It's true that every now and then those things creep into the equation but college football, especially Southeastern Conference football is about money. Don't get me wrong, I don't mean that in a bad way. It's just a fact.

When the LSU Tigers host the South Carolina Gamecocks on Saturday afternoon at 2:30 there will have been an awful lot of money gained and lost.  In 2014 it was estimated that the annual impact of and LSU home football game on the Baton Rouge and surrounding area was about $400 million. If you divide that number seven home games then each game was worth about $57 million to the economy. Go Tigers!

With Saturday's contest being moved from Columbia South Carolina to Baton Rouge that means there is already a winner in this game.

We’re excited about that, the exact impact we’re not exactly sure. Let’s just say we’re not going to lose any business over it. We think that it’ll have a significantly positive impact.

Those are the words of Paul Arrigo President of Visit Baton Rouge. Mr. Arrigos comments were reported by the Louisiana Radio Network.

As you can imagine Baton Rouge is a lot like Lafayette and Lake Charles. Many events are planned to coincide and not be in conflict with a home college football game. Baton Rouge has a soccer tournament, a business conference, and a beer festival scheduled for this weekend. Organizers of all of those events are hoping there will be enough ears and eyeballs to make their event a success even with a surprise home football game.

Let’s hope that those who don’t have plans, or those that can alter their plans, or work around include Baton Rouge in their plans, that they come to Baton Rouge and have a wonderful time that we know we can extend to them.

One thing is for sure if you're going to Baton Rouge this weekend you'll want to leave early and pray for a place to park.

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