The Red Sea (also known as Bird Gang) is a nickname that refers to fans of the Arizona Cardinals.^[1] The Cardinals have utilized this term since the early 1990s following their relocation to Phoenix from St. Louis.^[2][3][4] The Cardinals currently hold the longest active title drought in professional sports; despite this, fans have shown their devotion as the team made numerous playoff pushes during the late 2000s and through the 2010s.^[5][6][7][8]

In 2001, former Cardinals' safety Pat Tillman paused his NFL career to serve in the United States Army, he was later tragically killed in the line of service on April 22, 2004. Following Tillman's death, the Cardinals honored him through numerous memorials and retired his jersey. Tillman's death also strengthened the team's relationship with members of the armed forces community as the team frequently provides discounts to military personnel and frequently markets "salute to service" merchandise to honor servicemen.^[9][10] Despite Arizona's transplant population in support of other football teams, the Cardinals fanbase has steadily grown since their relocation from St. Louis in 1988.^{[11][12][13][14]}