Some 30 officers rushed to the scene when shots rang out around 1:30 a.m., city police superintendent Michael Harrison told reporters, AFP reported.
The man died of gunshot wounds, while two women and seven men were injured.
Two men were arrested in connection to the shooting, but Harrison said a motive was not yet known.
Thousands of outsiders have poured into the French Quarter this weekend as New Orleans hosts the Bayou Classic, an annual American football game between two rival Louisiana state universities.
The multi-day event includes a competition between rival marching bands, concerts and a parade.