| Mersey Tigers | |
|---|---|
 | |
| League | British Basketball League |
| Established | 2007 |
| Folded | 2013 |
| History | Everton Tigers 2007–2010 Mersey Tigers 2010–2013 |
| Arena | Knowsley Park |
| Capacity | 500 |
| Location | Liverpool, England |
The Mersey Tigers were a professional basketball team based in the city of Liverpool, England. The club was established in 2007 as a start-up franchise of the British Basketball League, the country's elite competition. The Tigers started competing at the start of the 2007–08 season, and won the BBL Cup in their second season as well as finishing as runners-up in the league. In 2013 it was officially announced that the Tigers franchise had been withdrawn from the BBL due to financial difficulties that had plagued the club throughout the previous season, which resulted in the Tigers becoming the first ever BBL club to complete an entire season without a single victory.[1]
Previously, under the name Everton Tigers, the club was an Official Partner of the Everton Football Club organisation and an amalgam of the Toxteth Tigers community youth programme which started in 1968.[2] The club also operated the Tigers Basketball Academy in partnership with Childwall Academy, founded in 2009.[3] However, in July 2010 Everton withdrew funding and the club re-launched as Mersey Tigers.[4]
- ^ Rob Jeffries (2013). "Mersey Tigers "disappointed" at BBL franchise withdrawal". UK American Sports Fans. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
- ^ UKTVSlam (2007). "Liverpool courts BBL". UKTVSlam.tv. Archived from the original on 5 August 2012. Retrieved 27 June 2007.
- ^ Liverpool Echo (2009). "Everton Tigers in search for future stars". Liverpool Echo.
- ^ "Everton Tigers change name to Mersey Tigers for new basketball season". Liverpool Daily Post. 27 July 2010. Retrieved 28 July 2010.