When you think of LSU football, there are a few things that come to mind. Wild Saturday night, an electric crowd at Tigers, Joe Burrow, and their iconic 2019 National Championship season, and of course, if you are not a casual, you’ll remember the infamous Mike the Tiger. The LSU fanbase has always taken great pride in its traditions. But this Saturday’s showdown with Alabama has something extra in store for fans—though it’s not your typical “just another game” kind of hype. No, this time, it’s about bringing the roar literally back to Tiger Stadium. But the real question on everyone’s mind isn’t whether it’ll energize the crowd.

An exotic feline from Florida will appear at the iconic game, and Brian Kelly is excited for the moment. This will mark the return of a real tiger to the pregame festivities, but details are still somewhat murky. They’ve confirmed that the tiger will come from Florida. But it’s still unclear who will handle its transport and care, or if the state of Louisiana will fund the entrance. One thing’s clear: fans can’t agree if this is a bold tradition revival or just a wild stunt that could backfire. I guess we have to wait and watch.

The announcement has caught quite a stir among fans for a number of reasons. For starters, the last tiger mascot was an actual tiger, not a man mascot like the Oregon Duck. It’s Mike the tiger. Mike has not attended any football games because of a history of stress-induced behaviors. The last appearance of the LSU OG mascot was back in 2015. Apparently, the loud noises, blaring cannons, and all those flashy lights are a bit too much for Mike. The 10-year-old Siberian-Bengal mix fought back and resisted as handlers tried to escort the big cat back to its trailer. According to state senator Bill Wheat, it’s very unlikely that our Mike will come back to the Tigers stadium against the Crimson Tide and Kalen Deboer.

The governor of Louisiana, Jeff Landry, supported the idea for the university to bring back this tradition—a bit bold decision by him. The PETA has also stepped into this matter and made a dunking statement slamming LSU. “It’s shameful and out of touch with today’s respect for wild species that LSU has bowed to Gov. Landry’s campaign to display a live tiger at its football games to amuse the fans,” said PETA Foundation Associate Director of Captive Wildlife Research Klayton Rutherford. For some fans, it’s a nostalgic move, and for other fans, it’s pure animal cruelty. 

Online community shows concern for the Tiger

The news quickly set social media on fire, with fans expressing everything from excitement to concern. “Brian Kelly getting mauled by a live tiger was not on my 2024 bingo card,” one fan tweeted, imagining the worst-case scenario. Some fans found the spectacle funny and joked about other mascots stepping it up. “Can Bama get a live elephant next time?” One user joked.

But the animal rights crowd isn’t exactly excited about it. “You mean, feed Brian Kelly to him if they lose?” joked one fan, understanding the absurdity of the whole situation. Fans are already ripping into Coach Kelly and QB Nussmeier for the loss to A&M. If they lose again, it’ll be a major L. However, another had more serious concerns, saying, “Email the governor. Tell him bringing a live tiger to the game is dangerous; it’s animal abuse; and it’s decadent.” Oof, shots fired. There’s no denying that the decision to bring in a live tiger has some fans questioning LSU’s priorities. It looks like LSU got a little too excited and confident against Alabama and Kalen DeBoer.

The most genuine concern came from a fan asking, “What do they do to make sure the tiger isn’t frightened or overstimulated by the tens of thousands of screaming fans?” Well, someone finally called out LSU for potentially putting the animal in a stressful environment. “Call me a hippie, but it just feels like animal cruelty to me,” said another X user of this animal cruelty and brutality.

Whether you are for it or against it, there’s no denying that this one is going for the books. A live tiger at the game? That’ll definitely get people talking. So, get ready for a wild show—Tiger Stadium is about to be lit, for better or worse.