Sugar Bowl Improperly Gives To Ex-Gov. Blanco’s Dinner

The Sugar Bowl has discovered it violated tax laws when it purchased three $1,000 tickets to dinners honoring former Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco.

Sugar Bowl spokesman John Sudsbury says bowl representatives mistakenly bought the tickets, in violation of bowl policies, in 2004 and 2006. Sudsbury says the bowl found records of the tickets after being questioned by HBO's Real Sports.

The Sugar Bowl is a nonprofit organization that receives state subsidies, and Sudsbury says bowl policy prohibits participation in any political campaign. He says the Sugar Bowl has notified the IRS, received reimbursement from Blanco's campaign committee and donated the $3,000 to charity.

Earlier this year, the Fiesta Bowl fired its president after an investigation detailed lavish spending including $45,000 in reimbursements to employees for campaign donations in Arizona.