Jay Cicero
Sport: Dave Dixon Award
Induction Year: 2022
With more than 35 years of sports management experience in Louisiana, including 24 years as president and CEO of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, Jay Cicero has led efforts in the Crescent City to not only bring dozens of major sporting events to New Orleans, but to serve as the head of the local organizing efforts for those events.
Cicero began his career in sports in group sales and marketing in his hometown for the Class AA Shreveport Captains in 1986. He first joined the Sports Foundation in 1990 as Director of Special Projects and Director of Sales for the 1992 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials.
In February 1993, Cicero was named the first general manager of the Class AAA New Orleans Zephyrs, who had just moved from Denver.
In 1995, he returned to the Sports Foundation as Vice President of Operations and was named President/CEO in June 1997.
Cicero has served in numerous senior leadership roles, including as the Executive Director of the 2002, 2013 and 2024 New Orleans Super Bowl Host Committees and the 2008, 2014 and 2017 NBA All-Star Game Host Committees, as well as serving on the Executive Committees for Super Bowls, Men’s and Women’s Final Fours, the annual New Orleans Bowl, two WrestleMania’s and the College Football Playoff championship game.







