Arena Football League (2000-2004)
Tombstone
Born: July 30, 1999 – Arena Football expansion franchise12000 Carolina Cobras Media Guide
Folded: September 20, 2004
First Game: April 14, 2000 (L 61-53 vs. Florida Bobcats)
Last Game: May 29, 2004 (L 70-33 @ Georgia Force)
Arena Bowl Championships: None
Arenas
2000-2002: Raleigh Entertainment & Sports Arena (16,985)22002 Arena Football League Record & Fact Book
2003-2004: Charlotte Coliseum (12,229)32004 Carolina Cobras Media Guide
Marketing
Team Colors: Red, Gold, White & Black42002 Arena Footbal League Record & Fact Book
Dance Team: The Snake Charmers
Mascot: King Cobra (the Cobra)
Ownership
Owners:
- 2000-2002: Roddy Jones, Pete Loftin, Marshall Rosenthal, et al.
- 2003-2004: Pete Loftin
Our Favorite Stuff
Carolina Cobras
Arena Football Logo T-Shirt
Trivia: Along with the 2008 Detroit Lions and the 2017 Cleveland Browns, the 2003 Carolina Cobras were one of only three fully professional football teams to suffer through an 0-16 season!
This eye-catching Carolina Cobras design is available in sizes Small through 5XL today from our friends at Old School Shirts!
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Background
The original Carolina Cobras were an Arena Football League franchise that split their time between Raleigh (2000-2002) and Charlotte (2003-2004).
Notable players included quarterback Fred McNair (Cobras ’00-’01), the older brother of Tennessee Titans Pro Bowl signal caller Steve McNair, and former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Cory Fleming (Cobras ’02).
The Cobras never finished better than .500 in five seasons of competition, but did manage to make the playoffs in 2001 and 2002. The hapless 0-16 Cobras squad of 2003 demands consideration as the worst in the 32-season history of the Arena Football League.
The team laid off most of its employees following its final game in the spring of 2004 and was quietly euthanized by the Arena Football League that September.
Another indoor football team known as the Carolina Cobras began play in Greensboro, North Carolina in 2018 as part of the National Arena League.
Carolina Cobras Shop
In Memoriam
Cobras co-founder and owner Pete Loftin passed away on November 16, 2019 at the age of 61.
Links
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2 Responses
Ah, yes, the Cobras… I had a row of season tickets for the inaugural season, sitting behind one of the original owner’s kids (a snot nosed 20-something, entitled punk). We used to enjoy causing opposing teams to false start by yelling “Hut!” loud enough to echo through the arena. They drew enormous crowds by Arena Football standards for two straight years with that team, and still couldn’t break even due to Diamond David Baker and AFL’s insane franchise fees of that era.
The Cobras were the 3rd or 4th highest drawing team in the league, when they were in Raleigh. I had season tickets every year they played at the then ESA.
The biggest mistake the franchise made was moving to Charlotte, which begged them to move there, because they had an empty arena that needed a tenant. It was their undoing. The Cobras would have only gotten better in Raleigh. The atmosphere was rocking, we had the best dance group ” The Snake Charmers” ( Lilly was the hottest dancer) and if not for a bad bounce off the net, on the last play, in the playoff game against the Rattlers in Arizona, we could have been in the Arenabowl. It was sad how this team went downhil, when the owners made the biggest mistake and moving them.