voodoo
The New Orleans VooDoo were a professional arena football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They were members of the Arena Football League (AFL) from 2004 to 2015.
The VooDoo were the second AFL team to play in New Orleans, the New Orleans Night, who had competed in the 1991 and 1992 AFL seasons in the Louisiana Superdome, one of the few stadiums capable of a full-size football surface to host arena football. In contrast to the Night, the VooDoo played their home games in both of their incarnations at the Smoothie King Center.
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 Tom Benson, who also owned the National Football League's New Orleans Saints. At the completion of the 2008 season, VooDoo owner Tom Benson announced the disbanding of the VooDoo. This led to the termination of operations for the AFL and ultimate filing by the League of Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. The minor league affiliate of the AFL, af2, continued play through the 2009 season.
In the fall of 2009, several af2 owners, Paul Ross of the Tulsa Talons, Dan Newman of the Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings, and Brady Nelson of the Spokane Shock, spearheaded in conjunction with Brett Bouchy, former owner of the AFL's Arizona Rattlers and Orlando Predators, a move to purchase the assets of the AFL out of Bankruptcy. This successful transaction resulted in the reformation of the AFL for the 2010 season. Prior to the 2010 season, the af2 league terminated operations. Several af2 teams chose to move into the AFL, including the Talons, BattleWings, Iowa Barnstormers, Spokane Shock, Tennessee Valley Vipers, and Boise Burn. Prior to the 2011 AFL season, several AFL teams relocated: The Talons moved from Tulsa to San Antonio; the Vipers moved from Huntsville, Alabama to Atlanta, Georgia, and reactivated the Georgia Force; the BattleWings left Bossier City for New Orleans and reactivated the New Orleans VooDoo. Legendary AFL player/coach Derek Stingley coached the VooDoo for the 2011 season and was replaced in 2012 by longtime AFL quarterback and coach Pat O'Hara. In 2015, the VooDoo's final season, Dean Cokinos was the head coach. At the completion of the 2015 season, the New Orleans VooDoo ceased operations.
The VooDoo's official mascots were known as Bones and Mojo. Their cheerleaders were known as the VooDoo Dolls.
A new version known as the Louisiana VooDoo made an effort to revive the brand in the 2024 reboot of the AFL but was unable to secure a home in New Orleans, Bossier City or Lake Charles; the team would instead play only two games, its lone home game at Blackham Coliseum in Lafayette, before folding due to issues with league finances.
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The VooDoo were the second AFL team to play in New Orleans, the New Orleans Night, who had competed in the 1991 and 1992 AFL seasons in the Louisiana Superdome, one of the few stadiums capable of a full-size football surface to host arena football. In contrast to the Night, the VooDoo played their home games in both of their incarnations at the Smoothie King Center.
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 Tom Benson, who also owned the National Football League's New Orleans Saints. At the completion of the 2008 season, VooDoo owner Tom Benson announced the disbanding of the VooDoo. This led to the termination of operations for the AFL and ultimate filing by the League of Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. The minor league affiliate of the AFL, af2, continued play through the 2009 season.
In the fall of 2009, several af2 owners, Paul Ross of the Tulsa Talons, Dan Newman of the Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings, and Brady Nelson of the Spokane Shock, spearheaded in conjunction with Brett Bouchy, former owner of the AFL's Arizona Rattlers and Orlando Predators, a move to purchase the assets of the AFL out of Bankruptcy. This successful transaction resulted in the reformation of the AFL for the 2010 season. Prior to the 2010 season, the af2 league terminated operations. Several af2 teams chose to move into the AFL, including the Talons, BattleWings, Iowa Barnstormers, Spokane Shock, Tennessee Valley Vipers, and Boise Burn. Prior to the 2011 AFL season, several AFL teams relocated: The Talons moved from Tulsa to San Antonio; the Vipers moved from Huntsville, Alabama to Atlanta, Georgia, and reactivated the Georgia Force; the BattleWings left Bossier City for New Orleans and reactivated the New Orleans VooDoo. Legendary AFL player/coach Derek Stingley coached the VooDoo for the 2011 season and was replaced in 2012 by longtime AFL quarterback and coach Pat O'Hara. In 2015, the VooDoo's final season, Dean Cokinos was the head coach. At the completion of the 2015 season, the New Orleans VooDoo ceased operations.
The VooDoo's official mascots were known as Bones and Mojo. Their cheerleaders were known as the VooDoo Dolls.
A new version known as the Louisiana VooDoo made an effort to revive the brand in the 2024 reboot of the AFL but was unable to secure a home in New Orleans, Bossier City or Lake Charles; the team would instead play only two games, its lone home game at Blackham Coliseum in Lafayette, before folding due to issues with league finances.
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