Shreveport Pirates

Origins and founding

The Shreveport Pirates originated from the turbulent ownership of the Ottawa Rough Riders by Detroit real estate developer Bernard Glieberman and his son Lonie. After acquiring the historic Canadian franchise in 1991, the Gliebermans faced significant challenges in Ottawa, including conflicts with city council and a disgruntled fan base. By 1993, they sought to move the team to the United States, but the CFL refused to allow the relocation of the Rough Riders. Instead, the league engineered a compromise in early 1994 where the Gliebermans sold the Rough Riders to a local ownership group led by Bruce Firestone while simultaneously receiving a new CFL expansion franchise for themselves. The new team was officially branded as the Shreveport Pirates on January 21, 1994, with the name chosen over the alternative 'Jackrabbits'. CFL Commissioner Larry Smith formally welcomed the franchise in February 1994 alongside Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards. A key factor in selecting Shreveport was a favourable stadium lease agreement, with the city charging only $2,500 per game to use the 40,000-seat Independence Stadium, which had opened in 1924. The Gliebermans were allowed to bring five American-born players from the 1993 Ottawa roster to Shreveport, including quarterback Terrence Jones and defensive end Dexter Manley.

On-field performance and records

The Pirates' on-field performance was marked by significant struggles, particularly in their inaugural season. Under head coach Forrest Gregg, who replaced the abruptly fired John Huard during training camp, the team lost its first 14 games of the 1994 season. This 0-14 start set a CFL record for the worst beginning to a season, a mark that stood until 2026. The Pirates finally secured their first victory in week 15, a 24-12 win over the Sacramento Gold Miners during a torrential rainstorm at home before a crowd of 12,465. They won two of their final three games to finish the 1994 season with a 3-15 record, last in the CFL East Division. The 1995 season showed modest improvement, with the team finishing 5-13, though they again placed last in their division. Over two seasons, the Pirates' overall record was 8 wins and 28 losses. The team's offense averaged more than 26 points per game in 1995 but was undermined by a defense that allowed over 28 points per game. Key personnel changes and roster instability contributed to these consistently poor results.

In the 1994 season, wide receiver Charles Thompson had 641 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Running back Martin Patton was the team's leading rusher with 659 yards and eight touchdowns. Quarterback Terrence Jones passed for 1,046 yards with four touchdowns and nine interceptions. Quarterback Mike Johnson, from the University of Akron, passed for 1,259 yards and four touchdowns with 12 interceptions.

For the 1995 season, quarterback Billy Joe Tolliver completed 252 of 429 passes for 3,440 yards and 14 touchdowns. His favorite target was Wayne Walker, who caught 51 passes for 790 yards. Curtis Mayfield led the team in receptions with 58 for 846 yards and two touchdowns. Martin Patton was again the leading rusher, running for 1,040 yards, which was third in the league. Kicker Björn Nittmo made 46 of 53 field goal attempts and finished sixth in the league in scoring.

• Quarterback Billy Joe Tolliver completed 252 of 429 passes for 3,440 yards and 14 touchdowns in 1995.
• Running back Martin Patton led the team in rushing both years, with 659 yards and eight touchdowns in 1994 and 1,040 yards in 1995, which ranked third in the league.
• Wide receiver Curtis Mayfield caught 58 passes for 846 receiving yards and two touchdowns in 1995.
• Wide receiver Charles Thompson had 641 yards receiving and three touchdowns in 1994.
• Kicker Björn Nittmo was a consistent performer, making 46 of 53 field goal attempts in 1995 and finishing sixth in the league in scoring.
• Future CFL Most Outstanding Defensive Player award winners Joe Montford and Elfrid Payton began their careers with the Pirates.
• Quarterback Mike Johnson, who joined the team partway through 1994, passed for 1,259 yards and four touchdowns that season.

Ownership and management turmoil

The Glieberman family's ownership was characterized by instability and conflict, which severely impacted the franchise's operations. General manager J. I. Albrecht, hired to build the team, saw his chosen head coach, John Huard, fired by Lonie Glieberman before the team's first game. Albrecht himself resigned and later sued the Gliebermans and the Pirates. The front office chaos extended to player personnel decisions, including the controversial signing of former NFL star Dexter Manley, who was serving a lifetime NFL ban after four failed drug tests and never played a down for Shreveport. Another high-profile signing, former Miami Dolphins receiver Mark Duper, was arrested on charges of planning to sell cocaine in Shreveport and was acquitted in March 1995, but he also never played for the team. Financially, the ownership reportedly lost nearly $3.5 million during the 1994 season alone. This pattern of mismanagement followed the Gliebermans back to Canada when they later owned the Ottawa Renegades, which also folded after a brief period. The team's first regular season game, a 40-10 loss to the Ottawa Rough Riders at Frank Clair Stadium on July 6, 1994, set the tone for the difficulties ahead.

Fan support and community reception

Despite the team's poor record and ownership issues, the Shreveport Pirates developed a loyal and passionate local following. The Shreveport metropolitan area, with a population of around 365,000 in the mid-1990s, was the smallest U.S. market in the CFL and the second-smallest in the entire league after Regina, Saskatchewan. The Pirates averaged 17,871 fans per game in 1994, the second-highest attendance among the American teams, trailing only the Baltimore Stallions. Attendance remained strong even against the backdrop of major regional college football programs like LSU, Texas, Texas A&M, and Arkansas, as Shreveport was geographically distant enough from those campuses for the Pirates to avoid direct competition in the latter half of the season. The team's booster club was formed during the first season and remained active long after the franchise folded, spearheading later efforts to bring professional football back to the area. The Pirates' season finale in 1994, a 28-24 victory over the Ottawa Rough Riders, drew a crowd of 32,011 to Independence Stadium, setting a single-game attendance record for American CFL teams outside of Baltimore. The team's home opener in 1994 against the Toronto Argonauts, a 35-34 loss, also drew a respectable crowd of 20,624 fans.

The Pirates had over 12,000 season ticket holders in their first year, and local media coverage was solid according to former staff. The team's colours were purple, orange, silver, black, and white, and their logo depicted a pirate figure beside a sideways pyramid. Lonie Glieberman later stated the team had the best uniforms in the CFL, comparable only to the NFL's Raiders. High school football was identified as the Pirates' biggest local sports competition during the second half of the season, which helped maintain fan interest compared to other southern U.S. CFL teams that saw attendance drop when college football began.

Relocation attempts and franchise demise

By the end of the 1995 season, the Gliebermans sought to relocate the Pirates, attempting to move the team to Norfolk, Virginia. These efforts collapsed when Norfolk officials broke off talks after learning of multiple lawsuits against Glieberman in Shreveport. A bizarre incident during this period, known as 'the Great Tucker Caper', saw the City of Shreveport attempt to seize Bernard Glieberman's 1948 Tucker automobile, which was on loan to a classic car museum, over unpaid debts related to the team's stadium lease, including payments for the scoreboard. Glieberman's lawyer, Mark Gilliam, tried to hide the car but ran out of gas and was caught by police. As the Pirates' future grew uncertain, a local investor group called the Ark-La-Tex Football Association proposed purchasing the Birmingham Barracudas, a more successful American CFL team that had made the playoffs, and moving it to Shreveport for the 1996 season. This plan, which could have created a viable three-team southern U.S. nucleus with the San Antonio Texans and a potential Houston team, was ultimately rejected by the league. On February 2, 1996, the CFL folded four of its American franchises, including the Pirates, and ended its U.S. experiment. The league allowed the Baltimore Stallions' owners to relocate to Montreal and resurrect the Alouettes, marking the official end of the Pirates' existence.

Season-by-season results

The Shreveport Pirates' competitive history consists of only two Canadian Football League seasons. The team played in the East Division despite its geographic location in the southern United States. Their inaugural 1994 campaign was historically poor, while the 1995 season showed slight improvement in the win column. The following table details the team's final standings and key statistics for each year of operation.

The Pirates never qualified for the CFL playoffs during their brief tenure. Their last game was a 35-26 loss to the San Antonio Texans on October 19, 1995. In 1994, the team used six different quarterbacks who attempted a regular-season pass: Terrence Jones, Mike Johnson, Robert Cobb, Tom Muecke, Robert Hall, and Eros Sanchez. The team's leading passer in 1994 was Terrence Jones, who threw for 1,046 yards with four touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Notable players and personnel

Several individuals associated with the Shreveport Pirates left a mark on the CFL or other sports. While the team's tenure was short, it served as a starting point for future stars and featured veterans seeking to extend their careers. Head coach Forrest Gregg, a Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, led the team for both seasons after replacing John Huard. On the field, Swedish kicker Björn Nittmo became a fan favourite for his accuracy, including making some very long field goals, and his community engagement, often attending booster club meetings. Defensive end Joe Montford and linebacker Elfrid Payton, who both began their CFL careers with the Pirates, later won the league's Most Outstanding Defensive Player award. Another former winner of that award, Greg Stumon, was also part of the initial player group brought from Ottawa. Other notable players included quarterback Billy Joe Tolliver, a former NFL player who had a productive 1995 season, and running back Gill Fenerty, a former New Orleans Saint. Offensive lineman Uzooma Okeke, who played for the Pirates, later became a CFL Most Outstanding Lineman winner with the Montreal Alouettes in 1999 and later a scout for the team. The team also had a connection to professional wrestling, as player Jon Heidenreich later became a popular wrestler and won the WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship.

Post-franchise legacy and aftermath

After the Pirates folded, professional outdoor football largely disappeared from Shreveport. The Shreveport Knights played one season in the Regional Football League in 1999, but subsequent attempts to launch leagues like the XFL, UFL, AAF, and the revived USFL in the 2020s either rejected or never seriously considered the market. Professional football in the area has since been limited to arena football. The Pirates' booster club remained active for years, advocating for a new team. Independence Stadium, the Pirates' home, continues to host high school football and the annual Independence Bowl, which drew 30,298 fans for its 2025 edition where Louisiana Tech defeated Coastal Carolina 23-14. For the CFL, the Shreveport experiment is remembered as part of a failed but ambitious expansion era. The team's 0-14 start in 1994 became a historical footnote, a record for futility that was finally surpassed in 2026. The Glieberman family's troubled ownership of the Pirates foreshadowed their later failure with the Ottawa Renegades, which they owned in 2005 before it folded the next year, cementing a legacy of instability in their CFL ventures. The team's unique colour scheme and logo, featuring a pirate launched from a sideways pyramid, remain a distinctive memory for CFL historians and collectors.

Questions about Shreveport Pirates

Why did the CFL put a team in Shreveport, Louisiana?

The Shreveport Pirates were created as part of the CFL's 1990s expansion into the United States. The team's owners, the Glieberman family, originally wanted to move the Ottawa Rough Riders to the U.S., but the CFL refused. As a compromise, the league allowed them to sell the Rough Riders and granted them an expansion franchise. Shreveport was chosen due to a favourable stadium lease at Independence Stadium, which cost only $2,500 per game, and the owners' belief it was a viable football market despite its small size. The city's mayor and council were supportive, and the market was considered a 'football town' by the owners.

How long did the Shreveport Pirates last and what was their record?

The Shreveport Pirates lasted for two Canadian Football League seasons, 1994 and 1995. Their overall record was 8 wins and 28 losses. They finished with a 3-15 record in their inaugural season and improved slightly to 5-13 in 1995. The team never made the CFL playoffs and consistently finished in last place in the East Division during both years of its existence. Their first game was a 40-10 loss in Ottawa on July 6, 1994, and their final game was a 35-26 loss in San Antonio on October 19, 1995.

What was the Pirates' infamous record start in 1994?

In their first season, the Shreveport Pirates lost their first 14 consecutive games, setting a CFL record for the worst start to a season by any team. This record of 0-14 stood for over three decades until it was finally surpassed in 2026. The Pirates finally won their first game in week 15 of the 1994 season, a 24-12 victory over the Sacramento Gold Miners at home in rainy conditions. Quarterback Mike Johnson started that historic game and threw touchdown passes to David Lucas and Wayne Walker.

Did the Shreveport Pirates have good fan support?

Despite their poor on-field performance, the Shreveport Pirates enjoyed relatively strong and loyal local fan support. They averaged 17,871 fans per game in 1994, which was the second-highest attendance among the American-based CFL teams. Their season-ending home game in 1994 drew a crowd of 32,011, a record for U.S. CFL teams outside Baltimore. The team's booster club was very active and remained so long after the franchise folded, demonstrating the unique connection the small market had with the team. The team had over 12,000 season ticket holders in its first year.

Who owned the Shreveport Pirates?

The Shreveport Pirates were owned by Bernard Glieberman, a Detroit-based real estate developer, and operated by his son Lonie Glieberman. The Gliebermans were controversial figures in the CFL, having previously owned the Ottawa Rough Riders and later owning the Ottawa Renegades, both of which also failed under their management. Their tenure with the Pirates was marked by front office turmoil, financial losses, and an unsuccessful attempt to relocate the team to Norfolk, Virginia. They reportedly lost nearly $3.5 million in the 1994 season alone.

What happened to the Shreveport Pirates franchise?

The Shreveport Pirates franchise was folded by the CFL on February 2, 1996, as part of the league's decision to end its American experiment. Prior to that, the owners attempted to move the team to Norfolk, Virginia, but were rejected. A local group called the Ark-La-Tex Football Association also tried to buy the Birmingham Barracudas and move them to Shreveport, but the league did not approve the sale. The CFL ultimately terminated four of its U.S. teams, and the Baltimore Stallions' owners were allowed to move to Montreal to revive the Alouettes, ending the U.S. expansion era.

Sources and further reading

• Shreveport Pirates (Wikipedia)
• Pirate Ball Comes to the CFL, Canadian Football History (canadianfootballhistory.ca)
• Shreveport Pirates QB Mike Johnson doesn't envy Ottawa ... (3downnation.com)
• Shreveport Pirates 1994 to 1995: Canadian Football History (funwhileitlasted.net)

Checked by the Garbutt Disposal desk. Last updated 2026-10-27.