Tiger Tradition: Revival of LSU's Live Tiger Mascot at Football Games Under Discussion

Tiger Tradition Revival

BATON ROUGE, La. — Gov. Jeff Landry confirmed his support on Tuesday of restarting the tradition of bringing Louisiana State University’s live tiger mascot onto the football field ahead of home games. It has been nearly a decade since a Bengal Tiger has been rolled out in a cage under the lights of Death Valley, LSU’s famed Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, where the school’s football team plays.

Controversy Surrounding the Tradition

University officials have not publicly said whether they are willing to revive the tradition, but that didn’t stop Landry from sharing his own opinion when asked by reporters. “I think the opportunity to bring our mascot back onto that field is an unbelievable opportunity,” Landry said during an unrelated news conference Tuesday.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has vehemently objected to the idea, describing it as cruel and dangerous to the mascot’s welfare and adding that tigers are “naturally solitary animals who don’t belong in rowdy football stadiums.” “Going back to the bad old days of using a wild animal as a sideline sideshow in 2024 is the last thing LSU should do,” the letter from PETA read.

History of LSU’s Live Tiger

For years, the school’s live mascot would ride through the stadium in a travel trailer before home games. Before entering the stadium, the cage, with the tiger nicknamed Mike in it, would be parked next to the opponent’s locker room, forcing the visiting team to pass it. At one time, the tiger would be prodded until it roared.

While the university’s current live mascot, Mike VII, is not brought onto the field for games, visitors can still see the tiger in his enclosure on campus. The school insists it provides a home for a tiger that needs one while educating people about the challenges facing tigers in captivity.