So I'm a relatively new fan (I watched the last few games of last season and the first two of this season) but I'm really focused on trying to get into the TiCats (and the CFL in general).
So what do you long-time fans think a newer fan like me needs to know? I mean I already understand the basics of the league and that the TiCats biggest rivals are the Argos.
Excited for the assistance.
I've been a TiCat fan for 63 years and season ticket holder for 50 years. I'd suggest that you buy tickets and support the team. If you don't live in the area, then watch and record Cat games . Review the games and watch your favourite players perform their magic. If you can, support the Cat sponsors locally and/or the CFL national sponsors. It is helpful to spread the word by wearing TiCat sweaters, tee shirts, hats, etc. to family gatherings such as reunions, weddings, funerals. 
My last thought would be to cheer loudly and support them proudly. The years pass so quickly that before you know it, you'll be an old guy/gal still cheering for your Hamilton Tiger Cats.
Pat Lynch (Depending on your spouse, wedding and funeral attire may be optional)
Well I'm 300 miles away so going to games isn't much of an option. But I'm working on trying to get a hat or shirt. And thanks to Watch ESPN site I can watch all the TiCats games live and on demand.
Thanks for the advice!
One thing that might be useful is to understand a bit about the history of the team and the city. Hamilton was historically a blue-collar town, and the great Ticat teams of the 1950s and 1960s were punctuated by tough, nasty defence. While the city's steel industry has been decimated over the last couple of decades, the symbolism of being a steel town remains a big part of the civic identity.
Some of the most beloved players of more recent eras have also been hard-hitting defensive players. The stadium that was demolished just a few years ago to make way for the new stadium had a very short distance between the sideline and a brick wall, which compounded the "fear factor" for visiting teams for many years. Traditionally, fans here have loved hard-nosed defensive football, and the most important date on the calendar of many fans is the traditional Labour Day matchup against Toronto.
To learn a bit more about some of the cheer-related traditions, look for information online (or folks here might volunteer some) about the traditional fight song, the Oskie cheer, and Pigskin Pete.
To get more flavor of recent history of the team (and possibly some throwbacks), check out the videos here on Ticats.ca or on the team's official youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/ticatstvchannel
The best source of independent Ticat news is the blog of Drew Edwards, who covers the Ticat beat for the local paper: http://3downnation.com/the-scratching-post/
You could also look for Ticat-related content on the league's youtube channel http://www.youtube.com/cfl
And for TSN's coverage (sometimes including interesting editorial features), check out CFL - Canadian Football League Teams, Scores, Stats, News, Standings, Rumours
I'm going to check out those links.
And that's one of the things that drew me to the TiCats. I've always been a Pittsburgh sports fan across the board so a black and gold team from a steel town is ideal.
You guys are really helpful.
Welcome to Ticat Nation. The greatest nation in the CFL (don't let those guys out west tell you differently lol)
Now for initiation you must sing the Oski wee wee chant as loud as possible. it's a bit corny but it's a lot of fun at the stadium
Welcome! You might want to participate in the "Virtual Grey Cup Challenge" . You can find it on the main CFL page. Join in the fun of predicting each week's winners.
Welcome to Tigertown! It stretches far and wide, these threads always make me smile, love seeing new CFL fans but especially when they choose the Cats to follow.
For my bit of info I'd like to take you all the way back to 1869 when the first football team in Hamilton was formed. A lot of people including the league only consider the Tiger-Cats history 66 years old, which is technically true but football has been in the blood of Hamiltonians for a much longer time than that.
The name Tiger-Cats itself sounds weird, but that is because it is an amalgamation of what used to be our two pro football teams. The Hamilton Tigers as mentioned before were established in 1869, but during WW2 in 1941, they folded with so many players needing to enlist. In the Tigers absence a new team in Hamilton was formed dubbed the "Flying Wildcats", the flying part came from their roots in the air force. In 1945 when the war ended, the Flying Wildcats dropped the first part of their name and became simply known as the Wildcats, while the Tigers reformed and returned to the field. The two teams played in separate leagues and actually swapped leagues in 1948 (ORFU and IRFU) with both teams struggling to gain traction in a fairly small market place. Then in 1950 both teams decided to end the battle between the two teams for support in the city and amalgamated the two teams to form the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Not to be forgotten are also the Hamilton Alerts who are actually the first ever team to win a Grey Cup for the city of Hamilton in 1912, but their history only spanned a short few years until a bunch of their players jumped ship to play for the Tigers.
So there is a brief history behind our wacky name and not one, not two, not three but four separate professional football teams that have called our city home since 1869. It is a bit of a debate in the league about how many Grey Cups the Tiger-Cats have won, and exactly when the team was established, but if you ask anyone in Hamilton the answer will always be we have won 15 Grey Cups dating back to the creation of football in our city in 1869, and don't let anyone else tell you different 
And here is my all-time favourite Tiger-Cats video, hopefully you enjoy.
[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qHfzUcc3lY&list=LLgB8ypUEMJEF4gjxPl5rY5g&index=55]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qHfzUc ... g&index=55[/url]Welcome black and gold! I'm a fairly recent fan as well, started following two seasons ago even though I'd been to a few games before then.
Right now is a good time to be a Ticats fan. We've got one of the best QB's in the league in Zach Collaros (due back from ACL recovery in a month or so), one of the most exciting kick returners in Speedy Banks. Were barely beat in the East final last year after making it to the big game the two previous years, and have a good shot it again this year. We've got a still-new stadium in Tim Hortons Field that we've been packing full since it opened on the site of the old Ivor Wynne.
If you ever get a chance to visit, Hamilton is a great city with lots of character and lots to do. I don't live there yet, but spend most of my weekends in and around the city and will probably move there in the next year or so.
Oskee wee wee!
Anyway I see that others have already posted links to various team videos , so allow me to jump in here with an absolute MUST SEE. The final 30 seconds and incredible finish of one of the most amazing games I was ever at......The 1998 East Final between us and those Alouettes. I still get chills and tinkles down my spine everytime I watch it. Oh and in case you are wondering the answer is yes , that is Doug Fluties brother Darren wearing number #82 with the Cats. 
You simply have to watch this finish , believe me it was crazy to be in Ivor Wynne that day and I'm so proud to say that I was one of the many crazies that was in the stands that glorious day. :rockin:
Enjoy !!!! :thup:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLXRc94IEjUCant watch that video enough. Wasn't a fan of the black and gold back than but it's my people that are happy and jumpin around.
And there really isn't anything better than beatin those dirty birds in the playoffs....
Big part of Ti-Cats culture is our famous chant of
Oskee Wee Wee
Oskee Waa Waa
Holy Mackinaw!
Tigers, Eat 'Em Raw!
You can hear it at the beginning of every home game and here and there throughout. Also, you can often hear it when the Cats are playing in Toronto.
Speaking of Toronto,
WE HATE THEM!!!
Every year, we play the Argonauts at home on Labour Day. Biggest game of the regular season for a Cat's fan and it's every bit as important as a playoff game.
Have not missed a home game since 1972 Grey Cup witch was my 1st ever game at 7 years old and i fell in love with the CFL the Moment i herd an American say "I love the Hamilton Fans" Big Ang and he still lives in Canada and I see him almost every week at practice .
Welcome to the dark Side blackandgold827