Louisville Fire

{{short description|American arena football team}}

{{For|2021-22 Fire in Louisville, Colorado|Marshall Fire}}

{{Infobox indoor American football team

| name = Louisville Fire

| logo = Louisville Fire.png

| helmet = Louisville Fire Helmet Logo.png

| founded = 2001

| folded = 2008

| city = Freedom Hall
in Louisville, Kentucky

| misc =

| uniform =

| colors = Fire engine red, black and flame gold
{{color box|red}} {{color box|#000000}} {{color box|#E25822}}

| coach = Ron Selesky (2001)
Jeff Brohm (2002)
Wally English (2003)
Tommy Johnson (2003–2008)

| owner = Will Wolford

| chairman =

| president =

| general manager =

| mascot =

| cheerleaders =

| nicknames =

| league =

af2 ({{af2 Year|2001}}–{{af2 Year|2008}})

• National Conference (2001–2004)
• American Conference (2005–2008)
• Midwestern Division (2001–2004)
• Eastern Division (2005–2006)
• Midwest Division (2007–2008)

| team_history =

• Louisville Fire (2001–2008)

| no_league_champs = 0

| no_conf_champs = 1

| no_div_champs = 3

| league_champs =

| conf_champs = {{af2 Year|2005}}

| div_champs = {{af2 Year|2001}}, {{af2 Year|2003}}, {{af2 Year|2004}}

| playoff_appearances = {{af2 Year|2004}}, {{af2 Year|2005}}, {{af2 Year|2007}}, {{af2 Year|2008}}

| no_playoff_appearances = 4

| arena_years =

• Freedom Hall (2001–2008)

}}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.

On December 19, 2001, Jeff Brohm was named the head coach of the Louisville Fire arena football team.{{cite web|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/stories/2001/12/17/daily25.html|title=Jeff Brohm named as coach of Louisville Fire|date=December 19, 2001|publisher=American City Business Journals|work=www.bizjournals.com|accessdate=December 2, 2016}} The Fire started the 0–7 before they defeated the Carolina Rhinos 31–28 to improve to 1–7. The Fire would finish the season 2–14.{{cite web |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/stories/2003/03/31/story7.html |title=Arena football officials hope to improve on, off field |author=John R. Karman III |date=March 31, 2003 |publisher=American City Business Journals|work=www.bizjournals.com|accessdate=January 31, 2017}}

In 2003, English was hired to replace Brohm as the head coach of the Louisville Fire af2 team. He was fired after just two games with a record of 2–2.{{cite web |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/stories/2003/04/07/daily20.html |title=Fire name defensive coordinator as coach |date=April 8, 2003 |publisher=American City Business Journals|work=www.bizjournals.com|accessdate=January 31, 2017}}

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.[http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3510057 Louisville Fire Press Release: Fire seek season ticket and ownership support in quest for AFL]

In November 2008, the Louisville Fire ceased operations.{{cite news|first=C. Ray |last=Hall |title=Fire ceases operations as af2 team; Fair board says it recently received notice of the move |url=http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20081112/SPORTS/811120731 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120724001827/http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20081112/SPORTS/811120731 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-07-24 |publisher=The Courier-Journal |date=2008-11-12 |accessdate=2008-11-26 }}