Why won't we see Louisiana's "Super Gator" on TV this Thanksgiving? Bayou 95.7's "Best Damn Morning Show" hosts Gonzo and Ashley O spoke to Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser about the 60-foot-long Celebration Gator float's upcoming absence in the 2024 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for the first time in several years.
Nungesser explained, "We had a three-year contract. Part of that contract was that 'supergator,' the longest float crawling down the streets, and that we would have Louisiana talent on it each year. The first year Jon Batiste stole the show, had a big performance at the main stage. The next year, Trombone Shorty did the same thing. This last year, they kind of breezed by Alex Smith and Amanda Shaw singing. We didn't get the same airtime." When the time came to decide whether Louisiana would renew the contract with Macy's to continue appearing in the internationally televised parade, Nungesser and his committee had to consider the return on investment for Louisiana Tourism. As the Lt. Gov. told Gonzo and Ashley O, "Over the three-year contract, we reached 3 billion people worldwide for an ad value of over $24 million, but it dropped off each year, and to get a new agreement with a new float, the price went up substantially, and we weren't guaranteed any more airtime." Without a guarantee of the same spotlight on Louisiana, the decision was not to renew.
But this is not the end of Nungesser's plans to parade around the world, which began during the global COVID-19 pandemic. "We'd have weekly conference calls with all our tourism partners, 'What are we going to do? When we come out of COVID, we're competing against Florida, $300 million they spend on marketing. Mississippi tripled their budget. What are we going to do to get people excited about coming to Louisiana?' And I asked the question, 'What do we do better than anybody?' We throw a parade, Mardi Gras. So let's look around and see where there are parades."
While Louisiana will not be featured in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade this year, Nungesser looks forward to another hopefully award-winning appearance where he says "the bang for our buck is far more great," in the New Year’s Day Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California. Listen to the full interview for his explanation of why returning to the Rose Parade is such an exciting and fruitful opportunity for Louisiana Tourism, as well as how Louisianians can get involved in the 'Best Night Ever,' on parade in Pasadena to kick off 2025.
To sign up for information about joining Louisiana's 2025 Rose Parade festivities, please visit www.explorelouisiana.com/rose-parade/volunteer-information. The Best Damn Morning Show broadcasts live each weekday morning from 6am-10am in Audacy New Orleans's Bayou 95.7 studio, except for when they'll take up Lt. Gov. Nungesser on his invitation to do the show live from Pasadena.