Some people take sports very seriously. There's nothing wrong with supporting your local team with everything you've got. But even when you're a die-hard sports fanatic, going to the game is mostly about having fun. It helps a lot if your favorite team is winning, but that's not always the case.
And that's part of why sports mascots are so important. These furry, quirky, and talented characters who help us have a great time, despite the state of the scoreboard, also take home decent earnings. So, let's meet some of the U.S.'s most popular and memorable sports mascots.
Benny the Bull Of The Chicago Bulls - $200K
The Chicago Bulls have Michael Jordan, Phil Jackson, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman. But while superstar players and coaches come and go, there's one Chicago Bulls idol who's never leaving: Benny the Bull. Gracing the pitch with multiple dancing and dunking moves, he's one of the world's most famous mascots and, according to Forbes magazine, 2013's most famous mascot in sports.
Benny's appearance is a blend between a furry red bull and a Chicago Bulls player. He loves to dress up for special occasions, often appearing as Santa Claus during the games around Christmas time and wearing a tuxedo to classy events. Based on estimates from SportsMascots.com, Benny the Bull takes home an estimated $200K annually.
Rocky Of The Denver Nuggets - $625K
The NBA All-Star game is the place where the best of the best meet and play. And guess who's pumping up the crowd in the sidelines? That's right; it's Rocky! One of the most popular NBA mascots, he was "born" in 1990 in the Rocky Mountains (hence the name) and hasn't left our hearts ever since.
You don't even need to like the Denver Nuggets to be a Rocky fan, and that speaks volumes about his popularity. A dunking expert, Rocky is often selected by the NBA to promote the league at international events. Rocky stands as the highest-paid in the profession taking home an estimated $625K annually.
Wally the Green Monster Of The Boston Red Sox - $70K
At first, Wally the Green Monster had no friends. But then, MLB broadcaster Jerry Remy started telling all these fun stories about him. And in a matter of years, Wally went from being a laughing matter to becoming a beloved and well-known sports mascot.
We get it. To the older fans of the Boston Red Sox, Wally's sudden appearance in 1997 must have felt like an aberration. But just like the Boston Red Sox has become an American institution, so did Wally. And today, the Green Monster has all the friends he will ever need. SportsMascot.com estimates Wally’s annual take home at $50K to $70K.
Go The Gorilla Of The Phoenix Suns - $200K
Unbelievably, Go The Gorilla wasn't developed by the marketing department of the Phoenix Suns. He simply showed up! What started as being a fan voluntarily dressed as a gorilla turned out to become one of the NBA's top mascots. He was even selected to be one of the three original mascots of the Mascots Hall of Fame!
Now officially linked to the Phoenix Suns, Go The Gorilla is one versatile mascot. He can do it all, from elaborate dunking stunts to short comedic scenes cued to the sound of Frank Sinatra. According to Sportscasting.com, Bob Wolf who is the Phoenix Suns’ current mascot earns about $200K annually.
Mr. Met Of The New York Mets - $600 Per Hour
Are you ready for a real classic? Here's Mr. Met, the baseball-headed mascot of the New York Mets, who's been gracing the pitch since back in 1963. An oldie but goldie character, Mr. Met, cannot stop aging with grace. He was named the Forbes magazine number one sports mascot in 2012, and he's displayed in the New York Mets Hall of Fame.
Unlike many sports mascots out there, Mr. Met is not a bachelor. He found love in the arms of Mrs. Met, with whom he had three "children." Mr. Met continues to show he's much more than just a guy with a baseball for a head. For private appearances, Mr.Met makes $600 per hour.
Bernie Brewer Of The Milwaukee Brewers - $275 Per Appearance
No mascot represents a more committed sports fan than the Milwaukee-born Bernie Brewer. He became the team's mascot in 1973, honoring a man that, in 1970, decided to climb to the top of the scoreboard and never leave until 40,000 people made it to the stadium.
His name was Milt Mason, and he was a 69-year-old fan of the Milwaukee Brewers. Saddened by the low attendance registered in the games, he decided to take it upon himself to create a change. He managed to attract 40,000 people after 40 days of sitting tirelessly on top of the scoreboard. Now, that's a fan! Private and corporate appearances earn Bernie Brewer $275.
Phillie Phanatic Of The Philadelphia Phillies -$600 Per Hour
Created in 1977, Phillie Phanatic is one of the most influential and popular sports mascots in the world. He's so beloved in his hometown that there should be a club called the 'Phillie Phanatic Fanatics.' His special performing moves include shooting hotdogs, taunting the visiting team, warming up hilariously, and buffing the heads of all the bald Philadelphia Phillies fans he can find.
Phillie Phanatic is so popular that he's even made it to the movies. In 2006, he made a cameo in the film Rocky Balboa, and he later appeared in an episode of The Simpsons. The figure is an estimate but Phillie Phanatic earns about $600 per hour for every appearance.
Grizz Of The Memphis Grizzlies - Unknown
In the fun-and-games world of sports mascots, there's one mascot who's not playing around. He's Grizz, a Memphis Grizzlies super-fan who was named NBA Mascot of the Year in 2011. While most mascots are designed to look cute and funny, Grizz is styled to look super cool while dunking impressively before the games.
One could say that every mascot is an alter-ego in itself, but Grizz is breaking the fourth wall, so to speak by sometimes transforming into the cape-wearing Super Grizz. A sideline superstar of the NBA, Grizz often sponsors local humanitarian causes and events. There aren't any figures that tell us how much Grizz earns but we figure it's in the five-figure rate annually.
Gritty Of The Philadelphia Flyers - $3K Per Hour
There's a certain aura of mystery surrounding Gritty, mainly because he can only be described as a furry orange creature. In his popular show, comedian John Oliver has even pointed out the fact that Gritty makes no sense on multiple occasions.
But despite being the punchline to some John Oliver jokes, Gritty is a famous and lovable mascot with a lot to give to the Philadelphia Flyers fans. The team wanted Gritty to have an intimidating appearance, but he turned out to be an incredibly friendly character with over 200K followers on Twitter. Gritty earns a pretty penny for private appearance estimated at $3K per hour.
Ragnar the Viking Of The Minnesota Vikings - $1.5K Per Game
Unlike all other mascots out there, Ragnar the Viking didn't need a suit to make a fuss and entertain the crowd. The motorcycle-riding Ragnar was, for some years, the most human mascot in the whole of America. But maybe he was too human.
In 2015, the actor who portrayed Ragnar got a little over his head and started demanding an impossibly high per-game wage. The result? The Minnesota Vikings decided to give up on him. Eventually, the fully suited Viktor the Viking made a comeback to replace the rebellious Ragnar as the team's new mascot. Ragnar earns $1.5K per game translating to about $500 per hour.
Jaxson de Ville Of The Jacksonville Jaguars - Unknown
Jaxson de Ville is the bad-boy of the mascot game. In 1998, his constant mocking of the visiting team's mascots forced the NFL to change the mascot rules. Now a more family-friendly character, Jaxson continues to be a lively game performer who loves to rile up the crowd with his crazy antics and lively personality.
Jaxson de Ville's appearance fits his personality like a glove. Characterized as an anthropomorphized jaguar, he always wears dark sunglasses, and he loves to enter the stadium on top of his trademark motorized scooter or golf cart. Curtis Dorak, the man behind the Jaxson de Ville costume, retired in 2015 after 19 seasons serving as the team's mascot.
The Presidents Of The Washington Nationals - Unknown
In 2006, the Washington Nationals decided to take on the rich history of the capital state and introduce the fans to six of its best former presidents. Looking nothing like your regular sports mascots, The Presidents showed up on the pitch for a quick race, and the crowd loved them!
Looking simultaneously goofy and respectful, the six presidents selected by the Washington Nationals are George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Calvin Coolidge, and William Howard Taft. The Presidents are die-hard fans of the Washington Nationals, but they also make occasional appearances in non-sports events, such as parades.
Harry the Hawk Of The Atlanta Hawks - $500 Per Hour
When something is already perfect, there's no reason to change it. That's why Harry the Hawk has been the Atlanta Hawks' official mascot since 1986! This makes him almost 35-years-old, and one of the longest-living and most beloved sports mascots on our list.
The secret to his success? Hard work! Harry the Hawk makes 200 to 300 public appearances every year, including charity events and schools. He loves to keep busy, but he never fails to impress the fans, just like when he delivered a sweet half-time rendition of Bruno Mars's Uptown Funk in 2015. For appearances, Harry earns $250 per half hour.
Mr. Redlegs Of The Cincinnati Reds - Unknown
When it comes to sports mascots Misters, Mr. Red has the competition of the reputable Mr. Redlegs. A die-hard Cincinnati Reds supporter, he's been around since the '50s, when he first appeared in an official team patch. Just like Mr. Red, he's a man with a baseball for a head, except he has a fabulous Victorian-style mustache.
Younger baseball fans may remember him from a 2008 on-pitch mishap. During the pre-game antics, Mr. Redlegs fell, his head came off, and the human behind the mascot was momentarily exposed. The "disaster," however, ended up improving Mr. Redlegs's popularity.
Rowdy Of The Dallas Cowboys - $65K
Wearing the double-zero for the Dallas Cowboys, here comes Rowdy, the happy cowboy. Initially owned by the NFL Properties merchandising/licensing line, Rowdy was first known as Big D. But in 1996, he became the official mascot of the Dallas Cowboys and was given a new name and a slightly different look.
Rowdy may be loving the change, but not everybody does. In 2015, our happy blue cowboy was named the "Most Hated NFL Mascot" by Sports Illustrated magazine. Well, his rivals may hate him, but Rowdy is still a thrilling favorite of the Dallas Cowboys fans. Rowdy earns $65K each year for his services as the team's mascot.
Rumble the Bison Of The Oklahoma City Thunder - $100K
Rumble the Bison may be a relatively young sports mascot (he was "born" in 2009), but he's already a fan-favorite. A hardworking anthropomorphic bison, Rumble loves to engage with the crowd, and he cannot get enough of distributing T-shirts and hugs at random throughout the game.
With sweet eyes and a lovable attitude, Rumble is hands-down, the most friendly bison we've ever heard of. But he's not just smiles and kisses! He can also look super cool banging his bass drum (a pre-game classic), and he was baptized after the roaring sound thunders make. One hour appearances earn Rumble the Bison $650, and his annual salary is estimated at $80K to $100K.
Jazz Bear Of The Utah Jazz - Unknown
Not all mascots have a day in the calendar all for themselves. But the Jazz Bear was granted a "Jazz Bear Day" in 2013. Every 10th of October is now officially about honoring the Utah Jazz mascot in Salt Lake City.
Performing in the league since 1994, the Jazz Bear has done more than enough to deserve this extraordinary honor. His risky on-pitch tricks have caused him many injuries over the years, and the Jazz Bear is considered to be a relevant citizen in the state of Utah. He's the living proof that sometimes, a mascot is much more than just a guy in a suit.
Sluggerrr Of The Kansas City Royals - $400 Per Hour
Sluggerrr is all about the attention. He not only wears a crown to work, but he also has two extra Rs in his name. But the Kansas City Royals mascot also likes to give back, and he was one of the first sports mascots to create official Facebook and Twitter accounts.
Typically, Sluggerrr stays out of trouble. But in 2010, the man behind the suit got fired after accidentally getting the Kansas City Royals sued. It all happened because a man in the crowd was hit in the eyes with one of the hotdogs Sluggerrr used to fire off of his shooting machine. Ouch! Hourly appearances earn Sluggerrr $200.
Lou Seal Of The San Francisco Giants - $500 Per Hour
In Lou Seal, the vibrant city of San Francisco has found a worthy mascot. His name is a play on the first-name, "Lucille," even though this mascot is officially male. His full designation? Luigi Francisco Seal. His one goal? To make every San Francisco Giants home game feel like a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Named the best mascot in sports by Forbes magazine in 2008, Lou Seal counts with an impressive record of over 1,000 consecutive match appearances. He is one of the mascots whose personal story was told in the Hulu documentary series, Behind the Mask. Half-hour appearances earn Lou Seal $350 and for the full hour, he earns $500.
Raymond Of The Tampa Bay Rays - Unknown
For a blue seadog, Raymond's been doing pretty well! The sports mascot of the Tampa Bay Rays is said to reside in Tropicana Field and was developed to be more than just your regular mascot. Ideally, Raymond is an improvisational sports comedian who does all he can to entertain the crowd.
Raymond's special moves include his cute dance, as well as his ability to make the crowd laugh by interacting with the stadium security. Raymond may look nothing like your regular Tampa inhabitant, but the community embraced him as one of their own. Raymond made it on the list of Cartoon Network's 'Most Awesome Mascot" nominees in 2014.
NJ Devil Of The New Jersey Devils - $1.2K Per Hour
For the most profane mascot on our list, let's take a trip to the city of New Jersey. Particularly, to the stadium of the ice-hockey giants New Jersey Devils. Their mascot, the NJ Devil, may not have the most original name in the game, but he has all the right moves...
Boasting the characteristical double-zero, the NJ Devil loves to carry a flag around the rink, high-five the fans, and skates with impressive skill. He may be dressed in an all-red Devil suit, but he's as heavenly and friendly as any other of your favorite American mascots. Booking Nj Devil for 40 minutes costs $800 and the rate goes up to $1.2K per hour.
Moondog Of The Cleveland Cavaliers - $300
Selected to the NBA All-Star Games in 2003 and 2004, Moondog is one of Cleveland's most rock 'n rolling inhabitants, and he's always there to support the Cleveland Cavaliers. As a mascot, Moondog's name and design were inspired by the late disc jockey, Alan Freed, who called himself the Moondog.
Alan Freed is one of Cleveland's most esteemed personalities, who's often said to be the inventor of the expression "rock 'n roll." As a disc jockey, he promoted a lot of new blues, country, and R&B records during the '50s and '60s. Today, his legacy lives on thanks to Moondog, who performs at every home match of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Moondog earns $300 per hour for private appearances.
ThunderBug Of The Tampa Bay Lightning - $400
Wearing the double-zero for the Tampa Bay Lightning is the kid-friendly ThunderBug, who's probably tired of being mistaken for a bee. He's actually a type of bug known as a trip, which is a narrow flying insect less than one millimeter long.
Here, seen playing the drums, ThunderBug is a Tampa Bay fan-favorite who loves bug-related stuff. His favorite movie is A Bug's Life, and his favorite songs are "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC and "Fireflies" by Owl City. Whenever he's not supporting the Tampa Bay Lightning, ThunderBug likes to go to schools, community events, and corporate parties. ThunderBug makes $300 for 45-minute appearances, and his hourly rate is $400.
Hugo Of The Charlotte Hornets - $1.5K Per Appearance
Most hornets come with a sharp sting, but not Hugo. The official mascot of the Charlotte Hornets is the nice-guy type of hornet, the type who's capable of winning the NBA Mascot Slam Dunk Championship on four different occasions. Introduced in 1988, Hugo was named NBA Inside Stuff's magazine Best Mascot on two occasions.
Despite all of his talents, Hugo is not perfect. On one occasion, he caused some chaos after jumping through a ring of fire during a spectacular pre-game dunk. The staff wasn't able to quickly contain the fire, and the game ended up being delayed by 19 minutes. Each appearance earns Hugo $1.5K.
Big Red Of The Arizona Cardinals - Unknown
He's big, and he's red, so he's Big Red. The mascot of the Arizona Cardinals first hatched in 1998 and has become a team tradition ever since. Never missing a home game, Big Red is always prepared to jump, dance, and add some extra pizzazz to the matches of the Arizona Cardinals.
In 2009, Big Bird had the honor of leaving his hometown to perform in the biggest stage of all: the Super Bowl XLIII. The great American final took place in Tampa, Florida. Unfortunately for Big Red, the Arizona Cardinals ended up being defeated 27-23 by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Paws Of The Detroit Tigers - $200 Per Hour
In 1995, Paws became the official mascot of the Detroit Tigers. He never misses a game, but his life is dedicated to more than just baseball. Very active in the local community, Paws is also a part-time baseball card collector and, as shown in the picture, a mascot who likes to keep things clean.
Overall, Paws is your nice-guy type of mascot. The mighty and fierce tiger may inspire his look, but he's all about love and caring. And on special occasions, Paws even likes to dress up as Santa Claus and Elvis Presley. Paws the mascot makes $200 per hour for appearances.
The Oriole Bird Of The Baltimore Orioles - $350 Per Hour
On April 6, 1979, the fans of the Baltimore Orioles watched live while The Oriole Bird hatched from his egg and appeared on the pitch for the very first time. The black-and-orange mascot has been a hardworking one ever since, making countless special appearances in the Baltimore area and all around the U.S.
The bird of the same name inspires the whole Baltimore Orioles franchise. The real Baltimore oriole is a small type of blackbird that's very common in the Eastern North-American region. As the only state bird of Maryland, the Baltimore oriole was the main inspiration behind the brand image of the city's top baseball team. Booking The Oriole Bird costs $350 per hour.
Steely McBeam Of The Pittsburgh Steelers - Unknown
Get out of the way, because Steely McBeam is coming to town! A hardworking mascot at his core, McBeam debuted in 2007 and is the most famous steel worker in Pittsburgh. His name is pretty much the sum of everything he is meant to represent, particularly to the Pittsburgh locals.
The "Steely" and "Beam" parts are a direct reference to the booming industry that still operates in Pittsburgh today. As for the "Mc," it's meant to represent the city's influential Irish heritage, and of the Rooney family in particular. The Rooneys are a prominent Pittsburgh family of Irish-American descent that owns the Pittsburgh Steelers since 1933. The 2012 parody song "Call Me Steely" demonstrates the mascot's weird and terrifying nature.
Nordy Of The Minnesota Wild - Unknown
With more than 18,000 regular fans attending the games, the Minnesota Wild is appropriately known as the "Team of 18,000". But in 2008, a new very special fan was introduced. Wearing the jersey number 18,001, the bear/fox Nordy was born.
When it comes to riling up the crowd, Nordy knows precisely what he's doing. But he also likes to play a part in matters outside of the world of sports, too, such as love. For a small fee, you can have Nordy deliver Valentine's gifts to your significant other.