In the Fall of 2009, several af2 owners, Paul Ross of the Tulsa Talons, Dan Newman of the Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings, and Brady Nelson of the Spokane Shock, spearheaded in conjunction with Brett Bouchy, former owner of the AFL's Arizona Rattlers and Orlando Predators, a move to purchase the assets of the AFL out of Bankruptcy.

Several af2 teams chose to move into the AFL, including the Talons, BattleWings, Iowa Barnstormers, Spokane Shock, Tennessee Valley Vipers, and Boise Burn.

Prior to the 2011 AFL season, several AFL teams relocated: The Talons moved from Tulsa to San Antonio; the Vipers moved from Huntsville, Alabama to Atlanta, Georgia, and reactivated the Georgia Force; the BattleWings left Bossier City for New Orleans and reactivated the New Orleans VooDoo.

[2] A new version known as the Louisiana VooDoo made an effort to revive the brand in the 2024 reboot of the AFL but was unable to secure a home in New Orleans, Bossier City or Lake Charles; the team would instead play only two games, its lone home game at Blackham Coliseum in Lafayette, before folding due to issues with league finances.

In their first year, they drew big crowds to their home games as they became the second team other than the Orlando Predators or Tampa Bay Storm to win the AFL's Southern Division.

The team's average attendance of 15,240 ranked fifth in the league and was a major factor in the VooDoo's 7–1 regular season home record.

At a sold-out TD Waterhouse Centre, the VooDoo ended their second regular season against Orlando with both needing a win to reach the playoffs.

A second-half rally featuring a fumble return for a touchdown by Thabiti Davis brought the VooDoo back into the game briefly, but a Jay Taylor kickoff hit the iron surrounding the nets and was recovered by the Predators.

On August 28, 2005, it was announced that due to the extensive damage suffered by Hurricane Katrina to the New Orleans Arena, the VooDoo would suspend operations for the 2006 season.

The final record of 5–11 included the first ever victory by the VooDoo over the Orlando Predators, a dominating 67–54 victory over the eventual ArenaBowl XXI champion San Jose Sabercats, a 78–34 nationally televised defeat at the Philadelphia Soul that ranks as the worst loss in franchise history, a 69–63 nationally televised loss to the New York Dragons where the VooDoo used some curious strategy to run the clock down before going for the winning score on fourth down, and a narrow 80–79 defeat at the Dallas Desperados, in which the VooDoo missed a two-point conversion to try to win the game after regulation time expired.

Steve Bellisari, a former Ohio State quarterback, took over the starting job from AFL veteran Andy Kelly; the VooDoo offense became more efficient later in the season.

Jonathan Ruffin, a New Orleans native and former Lou Groza award winner, took over kicking duties late in the season and was far more efficient than his predecessor Eric Houle.

The VooDoo were picked by prognosticators to bring up the rear of the AFL after free agent WR Derrick Lewis was injured in training camp.

The VooDoo then suffered a collapse, losing six of their last seven games, and missed the Arena Football playoffs for the third consecutive season, finishing 8–8.

This brought their home losing streak to 12, dating back to 2008, and concerned fans who did not want a possible AFL record set for futility.

Aided by a South Division where no team pulled away, a three-game winning streak, including an emotional victory over the Jacksonville Sharks put the VooDoo in first place heading into the final month of the regular season.

However, as the season progressed, inconsistent play from the offensive line led to injuries and ineffectiveness from starting quarterback Kurt Rocco, while the VooDoo struggled to replace star linebacker Alvin Ray Jackson and defensive back Jeremy Kellem.

2014 featured the much-ballyhooed signing of former LSU quarterback Ryan Perriloux, but Rocco was named the starter again after training camp.

[6] On July 12, 2015, ArenaFan.com reported that the VooDoo and the Las Vegas Outlaws were to be taken over by the league due to poor attendance and financial issues.

[11] In an interview with ArenaFan.com, published in February 2023, AFL Commissioner Lee A. Hutton initially that there have been discussions with potential ownership groups in New Orleans to relaunch the VooDoo when the league resumes play in 2024.

After Bossier City ruled itself out due to schedule conflicts,[12] contemporary reports indicated that the league was aiming to instead put the team in Lake Charles, Louisiana.