It all started back in 2001, when the Bridgeport Sound Tigers took the ice for the first time in the American Hockey League (AHL). Fast forward 20 years, May of 2021, marketing and team officials voted to change the name to the Bridgeport Islanders, due to wishing for a closer affiliation with the New York Islanders.
Since the rebranding, fans have been filled with frustration, saying that they should bring back the title of “Sound Tigers” because it holds significance to Bridgeport and its history, rather than the Islanders’ title.
Freshman Jaxon Troyer says, “I was very excited about the Sound Tigers coming back this season. I feel like the overall team name changes the way people see the team, and I feel like it brings back memories about when I started playing hockey. I think this is a big change that will improve the view that people have of the team as a whole.”
With frustration and complaints from fans, team representatives have made the decision to bring back the Sound Tigers on Saturdays. The team wears the jersey with the tiger on Saturdays, calling it “Sound Tigers Saturday.”
Sound Tigers Director of Marketing Cameron Cavlovich says, “After much brainstorming with our team, we kept coming back to the same thought – The best way to celebrate 25 years of hockey in Bridgeport is to honor our past while we celebrate our future. Bringing back the Sound Tigers for Sound Tigers Saturdays is our way of celebrating the proud history throughout our entire season, rather than just one throwback celebration. Instead, we created a season-long celebration of our past to highlight our rich 25-year history in Bridgeport.”
In year 25, the team is hosting special events on Sound Tigers Saturday, events like college night, hockey fights cancer, and military appreciation night, all of which have drawn bigger crowds than previous crowds from earlier seasons.
Cavlovich adds, “Sound Tigers Saturdays consistently deliver some of the season’s strongest attendances because they blend nostalgia, atmosphere, and accessibility into a signature Bridgeport experience.”
Many fans prefer the name Sound Tigers because the name “sound” comes from Long Island Sound, and the “tiger” comes from one of P.T. Barnum’s circus animals. There have been rumors about the team moving to Hamilton, but the tiger legacy will always live on in Bridgeport.
The next Sound Tigers Saturday will take place on December 27, against the Hartford Wolf Pack at 7 p.m. at Total Mortgage Arena. The Tigers currently have two wins from Sound Tigers Saturday and look to move up two more points in the win column in the Atlantic Conference.
