
JAMES BOARDMAN Jim - stock.adobe.com
Boys lacrosse stick and helmet
Fort Worth's upcoming national lacrosse team now has a name — Panther City Lacrosse Club.
The team becomes the National Lacrosse League’s 14th franchise, led by team president and CEO Greg Bibb. Panther City Lacrosse Club is expected to start its first season November 2021 at Dickies Arena.
“As a Fort Worth resident, I’m proud to serve as a steward of this team, a community asset for the city and region to enjoy, support, and rally around," Bibb said. "For nearly 150 years, Fort Worth has proudly owned the Panther City moniker. By naming the team the Panther City Lacrosse Club, we unabashedly lean into that history and celebrate our thriving city and the people who make the 13th largest municipality in the United States feel like the best small town in America. Today, we proudly announce to the world — we are Fort Worth. We are Panther City.”
Fort Worth's "Panther City" nickname originates from an 1875 newspaper column written by Robert Cowart, a former Fort Worth resident, and published in the Dallas Daily Herald. In the article, Cowart claimed he saw a panther roaming the streets of Fort Worth — a town so quiet, the panther stopped in the middle of downtown and fell asleep. Rather than taking offense, Fort Worthians have since embraced the phrase "Panther City," utilizing the moniker in everything from businesses to restaurants — and now the city's national lacrosse team.
The team's colors are purple and red, and its logo depicts a panther; a red star, representing the Lone Star State; and a shield inspired by Spanish Colonial architecture, a design prominent among the buildings of the Fort Worth Stockyards.
“The Panther City slogan is a symbol of Fort Worth’s historic aptitude for coming together, building momentum, and delivering progress for the benefit of the community,” said Dickies Arena president and general Manager Matt Homan. “Dickies Arena is one of the great products of this civic pride and determination, and we are pleased today to add the Panther City Lacrosse Club to this list of remarkable achievements for Fort Worth.
Tickets are available for purchase via 1-833-GOPCLAX or the team’s website.
Panther City Lacrosse Club also released a hype video announcing the name and logo. Check it out below.