Louisville Fire

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Louisville Fire
Louisville Fire.png
Founded2001
Folded2008
Team history
  • Louisville Fire (2001–2008)
Based in Freedom Hall
in Louisville, Kentucky
Home arena
League af2 (20012008)
  • National Conference (2001–2004)
  • American Conference (2005–2008)
    • Midwestern Division (2001–2004)
    • Eastern Division (2005–2006)
    • Midwest Division (2007–2008)
ColorsFire engine red, black and flame gold
   
Personnel
Head coach Ron Selesky (2001)
Jeff Brohm (2002)
Wally English (2003)
Tommy Johnson (2003–2008)
OwnerWill Wolford
Championships
Conference titles (1) 2005
Division titles (3) 2001, 2003, 2004
Playoff appearances (4)
2004, 2005, 2007, 2008

The Louisville Fire was an arena football team that played its home games at the Brown-Forman Field in Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky. They were a 2001 expansion team of the af2. Their owner/operator was former Pro Bowl lineman and Louisville native Will Wolford. The team was somewhat successful. After a rocky first few seasons they finally found success in 2004 and then made it all the way to the Arena Cup in the 2005 season.

Contents

On December 19, 2001, Jeff Brohm was named the head coach of the Fire. [1] The Fire started the 0–7 before they defeated the Carolina Rhinos 31–28 to improve to 1–7. The Fire finished the season 2–14. [2]

In 2003, English was hired to replace Brohm as the head coach. [2] He was fired after just two games with a record of 2–2. [3]

In July 2007, it was announced that the team planned on selling portions of the team to local ownership (aka the NFL's Green Bay Packers) in an attempt to boost season ticket sales and then buy the shares back in time before the team joined the AFL. [4]

In November 2008, the Fire ceased operations. [5]

Award winners

Season-by-season

On offense against Birmingham in May 2006 at the BJCC Arena. Birmingham Steeldogs against the Louisville Fire.jpg
On offense against Birmingham in May 2006 at the BJCC Arena.
Season records
SeasonWLTFinishPlayoff results
200161006th NC Midwest--
200221404th NC Midwest--
200351103rd NC Midwest--
20049702nd NC MidwestWon NC Round 1 (Quad City 53–48)
Lost NC Semifinal (Tulsa 49–42)
200511502nd AC EastWon AC Round 1 (Macon 55–54)
Won AC Semifinal (Manchester 69–56)
Won AC Championship (Florida 70–40)
Lost ArenaCup VI (Memphis 63–41)
20069704th AC EastLost AC Round 1 (Memphis 83–61)
20079703rd AC MidwestWon AC Round 1 (Spokane 62–35)
Lost AC Semifinals (Green Bay 37–27)
20088804th AC Midwest--
Totals62710(including playoffs)

See also

References

  1. "Jeff Brohm named as coach of Louisville Fire". www.bizjournals.com. American City Business Journals. December 19, 2001. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
  2. 1 2 John R. Karman III (March 31, 2003). "Arena football officials hope to improve on, off field". www.bizjournals.com. American City Business Journals. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
  3. "Fire name defensive coordinator as coach". www.bizjournals.com. American City Business Journals. April 8, 2003. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
  4. Louisville Fire Press Release: Fire seek season ticket and ownership support in quest for AFL
  5. Hall, C. Ray (November 12, 2008). "Fire ceases operations as af2 team; Fair board says it recently received notice of the move". The Courier-Journal. Archived from the original on July 24, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2008.