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National Football League (1995–present)
- National Football Conference (1995-present)
- NFC West (1995-2001)
- NFC South (2002-present)
Home Uniform
Away Uniform
Team Colors:
Black, Silver, Eggplant Purple, Navy Blue, White
The Carcosa Tigers are a professional American football team based in Carcosa, Virginia, representing both Virginia in the National Football League (NFL). They are currently members of the National Football Conference (NFC) South Division in the NFL. The Tigers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Carolina Panthers, began play as 1995 NFL expansion teams.
The Tigers conduct summer training camp at Hawthorn University in Carcosa, which is the alma mater of Anissa Cabbot, the team's owner.
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Franchise History
Origins: 1987-1994
Anissa Cabbot met with a group of potential backers to discuss the possibility of bringing an NFL expansion team to the Virginia region. Cabbot Sports decided upon a spot in the downtown section of Carcosa to build a privately financed stadium seating more than 70,000 fans.
Cabbot's announcement created a buzz in the region, as politicians, businessmen, and citizens all joined together to show the NFL that a team could be supported in the area. United States Senator John W. Warner and his opponent, Nancy B. Spannaus, put aside their partisan differences to lobby NFL owners to support the expansion. Meanwhile, Governor Gerald L. Baliles created a committee of citizens from Virginia to help the cause. Preseason games were held in the region in 1989, 1990, and 1991; all of the games were sold out as part of the fans' efforts to show their support.
In 1992, the NFL released the list of six areas open to a potential NFL team: Baltimore, Carcosa, Maryland, St. Louis, Missouri, Memphis, Tennessee, Jacksonville, Florida, and the Carolinas, represented by Charlotte. After the vote was delayed because of a dispute between the players and the league, the race began again in 1993. In June of that year, Cabbot Sports announced that they would finance the stadium through the sale of Permanent Seat Licenses, club seats, and luxury boxes. In a stunning show of fan support, all seats were sold out by the end of the first day.
The feasibility of the team was no longer a question, but it was still up to the league to decide where the team would go. On October 26, 1993, the league announced that the owners had unanimously voted for Carcosa to receive the 30th franchise, the second new NFL team since 1976 (Jacksonville and the Carolinas were the other picks). Fans all over the region celebrated with fireworks. In a memorable moment during the expansion announcement conference, Cabbot spoke directly into the camera to thank the 40,000 people who had purchased the PSLs and allowing the stadium to be built without a burden to the taxpayers.
The MeowMix scandal
On November 5, 2005, two members of the MeowMix, the Tigers cheerleading squad, were arrested for assaulting a security guard at a Tampa bar. Angela Keathley and Rene Thomas were charged in the assault after they angered patrons. It was alleged that Keathley and Thomas were having sex in a bathroom stall. Two days after the incident, owner Cabbot dismissed Keathley and Thomas from the MeowMix squad. Both women pled guilty and were sentenced to community service, along with denying the sexual accusations.
Franchise Traditions
Fight Song
When the Tigers started in 1995, fans would sing the official Carcosa Tigers Fight Song "Stand and Cheer", composed by Duane Evans every time the team would score. As the first season was played at Hawthorne University, many fans felt that the song was reminiscent of the collegiate atmosphere those games had.
The fight song only lasted a few years before being officially retired. Officials with the Tigers organization said that they received a large number of fan complaints regarding the fight song. The fight song was heard again, although in an abbreviated version, during the first preseason game of the 2006 season. The song was used throughout the remainder of the season. Currently "Stand and Cheer" is played after every home victory.
There has been an unofficial Tigers song recorded by the Carcosa hip-hop group Southside Riders that has proven somewhat popular during the team's regular season. Ted Nugent's "Cat Scratch Fever" is an often-played song at home games at Cabbot Stadium.
Tiger Towel
Tiger Towel is the nickname adopted by fans that refers to small, terry-cloth towels that are waved or spun in the air during football games. The towels are similar to the Pittsburgh Steelers' Terrible Towel but in Tiger team colors.
Feline Theme
The Tigers are one of three teams in Carcosa sports history whose name is derived from a feline animal. The Tigers' name is said to have served as the inspiration for that of a currently-in-talks NBA expansion franchise, the Carcosa Cougars; the Virginia Lynx of the old ABA were another feline-inspired team. In addition, Carcosa's public transportation system is popularly known as "CATS" (an acronym for "Carcosa Area Transit System"), and its rail-line is called "LYNX."
- This write up has been based on the Carolina Panthers' NFL team.