Fireside Chat Adam Luken, Louisville Fire Ticket Manager/ Director of Media Relations
Kevin Sedelmeier
Saturday July 2, 2005
Thus, welcome to Fireside Chats. This week's guest is Fire Director of Media Relations Adam Luken. If you need tickets, statistics, a radio talk show guest, or player information of any sort, he's the man. Fans may not know him by name, but if you ever attend a game, you will see him all over Freedom Hall, making sure things run smoothly.
So, here are a few questions and answers that might prevent you from ever using the old adage, "I don't know him from Adam" when referring to the Fire's do everything man Adam Luken. Now if only he could cover the high motion.
1. Growing up in Northern Kentucky, were or are you a Cincinnati Bengals fan? If so, has that been tough? If not, congratulations.
I was until they ended Bo Jackson's career (and it is not a coincidence that they have not been in the playoffs since, either.)
2. Before joining the Fire staff a few years back, what had been your exposure to arena football and once you became a part of it, what was the most unexpected aspect of it?
When I was younger Cincinnati had the Rockers in the AFL for a couple of years, and I always enjoyed watching them. When I was at U of L, I came to a Fire game in the first season and was absolutely hooked on this game. The way things can just change on the fly. It keeps you on your toes.
3. You have done everything for the Fire - tickets, stats, public relations, dog walker, etc., what's your favorite part of the job? What's your least favorite?
My favorite part is game nights. I love seeing a big crowd in Freedom Hall cheering us on and knowing I had a little bit to do with it. My least favorite part is losing.
4. Do you get to travel with the team? If so, any particularly memorable games?
I have been to a couple of road games. It seems like every time I go with the team it is always a close game. No one game stands out. Although I wish I would have gone to Quad City for that playoff game last season.
5. It seems like the Courier Journal has given the Fire more press this year. Promoting the team has improved, largely in part to your work. Is there anything else you'd specifically like to see happen in regard to getting bigger crowds and spreading the word?
Well I don't think it's just me. We have a great staff in the front office and a great ownership group that is constantly out hustling and promoting the team. When you play in a 15,000 seat building there is always room for more people to come in. I just want people who have never seen a game before to give it a chance because I can promise you will have fun. Once people come in, we hope they keep spreading the word about how much fun it is to go to a Fire game. GET FIRED UP!!!
Kevin Sedelmeier is a native Louisvillian. A graduate of the University of Louisville with a B.A. in Communication and M.A. in English, he works as a technical writer and has written fifteen screenplays and numerous short
stories. He lives with his wife Elizabeth, son Lukas, and their dog Springsteen.