What’s with the Mascots?

The sports world has always been flooded with different gimmicks that are used to entice fans and their children to be enthralled at games. Whether it be cheerleaders, hype squads, marching bands at college games, or my topic of the day: mascots. Mascots have gained some iconic status in sports lore. From professional mascots such as the San Diego Chicken, the Philly Phanatic to college mascots such as Sparty and Otto the Orange, these characters play a role in enjoyment for fans. They offer hi-jinx and other forms of entertainment or even the simple task of posing for a family picture.

One would be surprised about how much of a big deal these characters are. I remember in the 1990’s watching NBA All-Star weekend and the mascots participating in a slam dunk contest. Or even 15 years ago when the Montreal Expos moved to Washington and had to determine what to do with their mascot and Montreal icon, Youppi! In an unprecedented move, Youppi was traded across sports and acquired by the Montreal Canadiens and now serves as their mascot. Or take the NBA’s Nets as another example. Upon their move to Brooklyn, the Nets unloaded on their mascot Sly the Silver Fox and his partner Mini Sly. They were replaced with the Brooklyn Knight who was part of the franchise’s rebranding. Despite being designed by Marvel Comics, the Brooklyn Knight was doomed from the outset with a poor and emotionless response from fans. Sometimes you don’t need to ruin a good thing.

So with a global pandemic going on, even these valued team employees are at risk. Let’s take a look at one of these mascots that has been “laid off”, Gunnersaurus. For the uninitiated, Gunnersaurus is the mascot of Arsenal in the English Premier League. Jerry Quy, the man behind the mascot has been employed by the club for over 27 years. So it came as a shock to many that Arsenal in a Covid related cost cutting measure decided to put Gunnersaurus on hiatus for a bit. The outcry in England and globally among Arsenal fans has been astounding. Midfielder Mesut Ozil, one of Arsenal’s highest paid players has vowed to pay the salary of Gunnersaurus until his exile is over. Ozil who is riding Arsenal’s bench despite his large salary and unwillingness to take a paycut, has played the perfect PR move.

The moral of this story is that mascots are a beloved part of the teams that we enjoy watching play and should never be taken for granted. Just look at the tale of Gunnersaurus Rex and the outpouring of love that he has received. It just goes to show that good things come in all shapes and sizes.

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