Louisiana VooDoo
Louisiana VooDoo | |
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Current season | |
Established 2003 (Original incarnation) Play in Lake Charles, Louisiana at the Sudduth Coliseum | |
League/conference affiliations | |
First franchise: Arena Football League (2004–2005, 2007–2008)
Second franchise: (as the Battle Wings from 2001 to 2010)
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Current uniform | |
TBA | |
Team history | |
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Championships | |
League championships (0) | |
Conference championships (0) Prior to 2005, the AFL did not have conference championship games | |
Division championships (3) | |
Playoff appearances (6) | |
Home arena(s) | |
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The Louisiana VooDoo are a professional arena football team based in Lake Charles, Louisiana. They are members of the Arena Football League and will play their home games at Sudduth Coliseum in Lake Charles starting in 2024.
This team is the latest incarnation formerly known as the New Orleans VooDoo with the original and second incarnations being members of the
The original New Orleans VooDoo played in the AFL from 2004 to 2008, at which point the league suspended operations. During that time they were owned in part by
In the Fall of 2009, several af2 owners, Paul Ross of the
The VooDoo's official mascots were known as Bones and Mojo.[1] Their cheerleaders were known as the VooDoo Dolls.[2]
History
Franchise is born
In 1998,
In their first year, they drew big crowds to their home games as they became the second team other than the
In 2005, the team started strong, but later found itself on the wrong end of some close, hard-fought games. At a sold-out
Despite the underachievement, the VooDoo had an average attendance of 15,338, good for third in the 17-team AFL, and again had the New Orleans market lead the nation in television ratings for Sunday AFL broadcasts on NBC.
The VooDoo's success and popularity led the AFL to consider placing the ArenaBowl in New Orleans. Although it had already signed a deal with Las Vegas to have the ArenaBowl there for 2005, 2006 and 2007, the league had considered terminating that deal. Had the bidding for ArenaBowl XX begun, New Orleans would have been an early favorite, along with Orlando and Arizona.
Hurricane Katrina
On August 28, 2005, it was announced that due to the extensive damage suffered by
Return in 2007
In 2007, the VooDoo returned with Mike Neu as the head coach. The team set an AFL season ticket record, selling over 13,000 season tickets. This led to the VooDoo leading in announced attendance as well, drawing 16,645 to their eight home games, 800 more than the second-place Philadelphia Soul.
The VooDoo started 4–3, before a seven-game losing streak dropped them to 4–10 and eliminated them from the playoff race.
The final record of 5–11 included the first ever victory by the VooDoo over the
Despite the terrible record, several players were revelations for the VooDoo.
2008
The VooDoo were picked by prognosticators to bring up the rear of the AFL after free agent WR Derrick Lewis was injured in training camp. By losing the first game in Los Angeles, and having starting Quarterback Steve Bellisari get hurt, things started to look bleak for the VooDoo. Backup quarterback Danny Wimprine, from the New Orleans area, took over, and led by a defense that threatened to shatter the AFL record for interceptions in a season, the VooDoo won seven of their next eight games and threatened to run away with the Southern Division. The VooDoo then suffered a collapse, losing six of their last seven games, and missed the Arena Football playoffs for the third consecutive season, finishing 8–8. Speculation ensued about Mike Neu's job as head coach, as the VooDoo suffered four second-half-of-the-season collapses in their four years as a franchise, but early indications were that he would continue to be the coach in 2009.
The New Orleans VooDoo received the Arena Football League's Best Support Staff Award during the ArenaBall Awards Ceremony held in New Orleans on Friday, July 25, 2008.
On October 13, 2008, owner Tom Benson announced the New Orleans VooDoo would not be continuing operations in New Orleans. Reasons given were "circumstances affecting the league and the team."
Rebirth Of the VooDoo
The
During the 2011 season, after a home loss to the Spokane Shock, the VooDoo fired head coach Derek Stingley on June 26, 2011. He was replaced by General Manager Jon Norris. At the end of a 3–15 season, Jon Norris went back to being the General Manager. Later on August 8, 2011, he hired Pat O'Hara as the VooDoo's third head coach.
The VooDoo started the 2012 season losing their first two games at home, to the
The VooDoo started 2013 off with a dramatic overtime win over the conference rival
2014 featured the much-ballyhooed signing of former
After compiling a 16–38 in three seasons as head coach, O'Hara was not offered a new contract for 2015. The VooDoo instead announced the hiring of Alabama Hammers Head Coach, Dean Cokinos.[6]
League takeover
On July 12, 2015, ArenaFan.com reported that the VooDoo and the Las Vegas Outlaws were to be taken over by the league due to poor attendance and financial issues. Both teams were expected to finish the season, then commissioner Scott Butera was to conduct a search for new owners.[7][8] An unnamed investment group reportedly sought to purchase the VooDoo and move the franchise to Texas and attended the VooDoo's final home game at Smoothie King Arena against the Tampa Bay Storm on July 18, 2015. That game was possibly the final home game for this franchise. The game with the Outlaws was cancelled and declared to be a tie, only the third such result in league history and the first resulting from a scheduled game having not actually been played.[9] Following a league takeover of the team on July 15, 2015, on August 9, 2015, the Arena Football League announced that the New Orleans VooDoo "have ceased operations effective immediately."[10] It was also reported that the VooDoo could come back for the 2016 season with a new ownership group.[11]
2024 revival as the Louisiana VooDoo
In an interview with ArenaFan.com, published in February 2023, AFL Commissioner Lee A. Hutton said that there have been discussions with potential ownership groups in New Orleans to relaunch the VooDoo when the league resumes play in 2024. Louisiana was among the regions named by Hutton in a July 2023 announcement of the league's inaugural locations. Contemporary reports indicated that the league was aiming to instead put the team in Lake Charles, Louisiana.[12] Bossier City was another location considered for the Louisiana team, but their home arena had too many schedule conflicts to accommodate a team in the 2024 season.[13] The new team, which retained the VooDoo name (as the Louisiana VooDoo), was unveiled on November 3, 2023.[14][15]
Notable players
Final roster
New Orleans VooDoo roster | ||||||
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Quarterbacks
Fullbacks
Wide receivers
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Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
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Linebackers
Defensive backs
Kickers |
Injured reserve
Other league exempt
League suspension
Refused to report
Inactive reserve
Recallable reassignment
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Individual awards
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All-Arena players
The following VooDoo players were named to All-Arena Teams:
- FB/LB Dan Curran (1)
- OL/DL Tim Martin (1), B. J. Cohen (1)
- LB Norman LeJeune (1), Alvin Ray Jackson (1)
- DB Jeremy Kellem (1), Cameron McGlenn (1)
- KR P. J. Berry (1), Larry Beavers (1)
All-Ironman players
The following VooDoo players were named to All-Ironman Teams:
- FB/LB Dan Curran (1)
- OL/DL B. J. Cohen (1)
- WR/KR P. J. Berry (1)
All-Rookie players
The following Battle Wings/VooDoo players were named to All-Rookie Teams:
- FB James Lynch
- OL/DL Mike Landry
- LB Norman LeJeune
- DS Monty Montgomery, Alvin Porter
Arenas
Smoothie King Center
The VooDoo played their home games in the 16,900 Smoothie King Center (formerly New Orleans Arena). The arena was also known as "The Graveyard" during Voodoo home games.
Mercedes-Benz Superdome
For the 2013 season, the VooDoo announced that, due to renovations at the
Sudduth Coliseum
The VooDoo will play in an arena familiar with the indoor sport, the Sudduth Coliseum at the Lake Charles Civic Center, which has played host to the Lake Charles Land Sharks (2001–2004) and Louisiana Swashbucklers (2006–2013).
Notable coaches
Head coaches
Note: Statistics are correct through the end of the 2015 Arena Football League season.
Name | Term | Regular Season | Playoffs | Awards | ||||
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W | L | T | Win% | W | L | |||
Mike Neu | 2004–2008 | 33 | 31 | 0 | .516 | 0 | 1 | |
Derek Stingley | 2011 | 1 | 11 | 0 | .083 | 0 | 0 | |
Jon Norris | 2011 | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 0 | 0 | |
Pat O'Hara | 2012–2014 | 16 | 36 | 0 | .308 | 0 | 1 | |
Dean Cokinos | 2015 | 3 | 14 | 1 | .194 | 0 | 0 |
Staff
New Orleans VooDoo staff | ||||||
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Front office
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Head coach
Offensive coaches
Defensive coaches
Support staff
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Season-by-season
References
- ^ "Unknown". www.govoodoo.com. New Orleans VooDoo. Archived from the original on 2006-02-08.
- ^ Sharon Keating. "New Orleans VooDoo – New Orleans' Arena Football Team, The VooDoo". goneworleans.about.com. About.com. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
- ^ "Benson Brings AFL to New Orleans". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. May 13, 2003. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
- ^ Jeff Walker (March 17, 2002). "NFL owners to vote on expanding arena football partnership". www.jacksonville.com. Jacksonville.com. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
- ^ Nakia Hogan (September 14, 2010). "The New Orleans VooDoo and the Arena Football League are returning". www.nola.com. NOLA Media Group. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
- ^ "New Orleans VooDoo hire Dean Cokinos as its new head coach". www.nola.com. The Times-Pecayune. September 17, 2014. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
- ^ Adam Markowitz (July 12, 2015). "AFL assumes control of Outlaws, VooDoo, announcement expected this week". www.ArenaFan.com. ArenaFan. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
- ^ Will Guillory (July 14, 2015). "Arena Football League taking over VooDoo operations". www.theadvocate.com. The Advocate. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
- ^ Potential Texas-based investors eye VooDoo, move of franchise as AFL cancels game at Vegas, Ken Trahan, SportsNOLA.com, July 16, 2015
- ^ Christopher Dabe (August 9, 2015). "With no ownership in place, New Orleans VooDoo cease operations, league announces". www.nola.com. NOLA.com. Retrieved August 11, 2015.
- ^ Christopher Dabe (August 10, 2015). "New Orleans VooDoo could continue with new ownership, league commissioner says". www.nola.com. NOLA.com. Retrieved August 11, 2015.
- KPLC-TV. Retrieved 2023-07-20.
- ^ Lowe, Megan (2023-07-25). "Bossier City on Arena Football League radar". Shreveport-Bossier Journal. Retrieved 2023-10-28.
- ^ "AFL announces Voodoo football team coming to Lake Charles". KALB. 2023-11-03. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
- ^ "Voodoo arena football team coming to Lake Charles". KPLC. 2023-11-03. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
- ^ Rachel Whittaker (October 3, 2012). "New Orleans Voodoo to play 6 of 9 home games in Superdome in 2013". www.nola.com. NOLA Media Group. Retrieved September 9, 2013.