arenafootball2 - Lafayette

Lafayette (LA) Getting New Franchise

By BOBBY ARDOIN
Special to The Advocate

LAFAYETTE -- An arenafootball2 franchise has been unanimously approved for Lafayette by league officials, said Dave Berryman, the president of an ownership group that will operate the team.

Berryman said af2 league owners approved Wednesday the relocation of the Billings, Mont., franchise to Lafayette for the 2003 season.

Approval for the relocation also came Thursday by Arena Football League owners, Berryman said.

Berryman is president and CEO of Orlando Predators Entertainment, which also owns the AFL Orlando Predators in addition to af2 teams in Peoria and Green Bay.

Lafayette had an af2 franchise last year, but the Lafayette Roughnecks ceased operations several months after the 2002 campaign because of financial difficulties.

Berryman said he will announce the Lafayette team's mascot at a later date, but added that it won't be the Roughnecks.

At least six individuals have expressed an interest in coaching the Lafayette team in 2003 and Berryman said he is conducting interviews for the position.

"I have a least half a dozen in mind and all of them are men who will bring a winning af2 franchise to Lafayette," he said.

In another matter related to minor league sports in Lafayette, Berryman said the East Coast Hockey League is expected to approve on Monday the sale of the Louisiana IceGators to Orlando Predators Entertainment.

Louisiana's current ownership, Entertainment Ventures, Inc., has been seeking to sell the IceGators for the past several months.

Berryman said the only obstacle remaining for completion of the sale to OPE is ECHL approval.

He said the IceGators are planning a Tuesday night event at the Cajundome to celebrate the sale of the team to the OPE group, which will operate the hockey and af2 franchises from the same office.

Lafayette's af2 team will have its kickoff campaign in September, said Berryman.

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