ArenaBowl returns to New Orleans

New
Orleans, a city renowned for hosting sports championships, will host its second
Arena Football League Championship Game when ArenaBowl XXII is played at New
Orleans Arena on Sunday, July 27, 2008 at 2 p.m. CT. ArenaBowl XXII will be
televised live on ABC and ABC HD.

“Last year, ArenaBowl XXI was the first team championship to be played in

New Orleans since
Katrina,” said Commissioner DAVID BAKER. “This year, ArenaBowl XXII will be one
of many championships and first-class sporting events taking place in the city.
That’s progress, and the AFL is proud to have modestly contributed to it. We
are hopeful that the well publicized success of ArenaBowl XXI, including its
estimated economic impact of nearly $20 million, will convince additional
businesses, conventions and events to consider

New Orleans, the world’s most courageous
city, as their host.”

The AFL’s 2008 season kicks off the weekend of February 29-March 3. Seventeen
teams will compete for the right to play in ArenaBowl XXII. New Orleans Arena
hosted ArenaBowl XXI, a contest that saw the San Jose SaberCats win their third
ArenaBowl title, 55-33, over the Columbus Destroyers.

“The efforts of the VooDoo, the Greater New
Orleans Sports Foundation and the State Department of Culture Recreation and
Tourism convinced the league to bring the very successful ArenaBowl XXI to

New Orleans in July
2007,” said JAY CICERO, President of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation.
“Not only are we are world class city for championship event hospitality, we
embraced the ArenaBowl staff and fans as natives, and made them our front page
story. We welcome back the league officials, the traveling fans, the special
events and the live ABC broadcast of the game. These key elements are
essential to the rebuilding effort of our great city. We are proud the
AFL is once again choosing

New Orleans
for ArenaBowl XXII and the locals are already looking forward to celebrating
again.”