VooDoo and Arena Football League to be heard and seen on the airwaves at kickoff
January 27, 2005 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
New Orleans VooDoo News Release
The New Orleans VooDoo's season opener as well as several team and Arena Football League-themed programs will surround the extensive coverage of the AFL as they embark on their season opener this Saturday, January 29, at the Georgia Force.
On Thursday evening at 9 p.m., in preparation of a highly anticipated VooDoo season, UPN 54 will broadcast "VooDoo Kickoff 2005", a one hour preview featuring interviews with VooDoo coach Mike Neu, as well as newcomers to the team such as WR/LB Thabiti Davis, QB Andy Kelly and FB/LB Leroy Thompson. It will also feature interviews with mainstays of the 2004 Southern Division champion team, such as OS Aaron Bailey, OL/DL B.J. Cohen, OL/DL Tim Martin and OL/DL Bruce McClure. The show will be hosted by T.J. Rives.
Cox Sports Television is scheduled to televise eight of the VooDoo's games this season, including the season opener, which will be shown on tape delay at 10 p.m and will be re-broadcast on Sunday at 7 p.m. Todd Kalas will handle play-by-play. Selected Saints coaches, front office executives and players will serve as analysts on a rotating basis and Tim Fanguy will handle sideline duties. Kalas, a 16-year broadcasting veteran, has done play-by play and hosted pre and post game shows for the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies and currently the New Orleans Zephyrs and Tampa Bay Devil Rays. This week's guest analyst will be Saints CB Ashley Ambrose. Cox Sports Television will also broadcast "Inside VooDoo with Mike Neu," a coach's show featuring VooDoo coach Mike Neu, hosted by Chris Kenyon, who handles VooDoo radio play-by-play. The half-hour coach's show will be shown at 6:00 p.m. on Fridays and will then be re-broadcast on Saturday at 12 p.m.
The New Orleans VooDoo will be heard throughout the Gulf South region. All 16 games will be heard on WWL-AM 870 or WSMB-AM 1350. Included in the game broadcasts will be a 30-minute pregame show as well as a 15-minute post-game show for the road games and 30 minutes at home. Kenyon will return to be the play-by-play voice of the VooDoo. Various celebrities and New Orleans Saints coaches, front office executives and players will serve as game analysts throughout the season, such as DE Charles Grant, WR Michael Lewis, RB Fred McAfee, DT Brian Young, special teams coordinator Al Everest and tight ends coach Bob Palcic. Kenyon has over 10 years of broadcasting experience and most recently was heard on the South Louisiana airways as the voice of the East Coast Hockey League's Baton Rouge Kingfish hockey team for their first six seasons prior to handling VooDoo broadcasts. Grant will serve as color analyst for Saturday's season opener at Georgia, which will be heard on WWL. Kenny Wilkerson host the Mike Neu Show, which can be heard on Tuesday evenings from 7-8 p.m. on WWL.
The Arena Football League will also be seen on local airwaves on Sunday, when NBC will broadcast a doubleheader of AFL games on the kickoff weekend. These games can be seen locally on WDSU, Channel 6. The action begins at 11 a.m., when NBC broadcasts a match up between the Colorado Crush and the Orlando Predators. At 2 p.m., the network will show a game between the Chicago Rush and Dallas Desperados to local viewers. The VooDoo is scheduled to be seen on NBC for four of the team's 16 games this season. They will make their NBC debut on Sunday, February 13 for the home opener vs. San Jose.
"We are proud to have one of the most extensive broadcast packages in the Arena Football League," said VooDoo Executive Director Mike Feder. "We feel it is essential to allow our fans to both hear and see every second of VooDoo football."
The 2004 Southern Division champion New Orleans VooDoo home opener is Sunday, February 13 at 2 pm, when they host the 2004 AFL champion San Jose SaberCats. The regular-season home schedule includes games against: San Jose, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, Orlando, Georgia, Columbus, Colorado and Austin. Season ticket plans begin for as low as $96 per seat. There are numerous seating options available in all price ranges.
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