Ever wonder what it’d be like to be in one of those giant clunky mascot costumes? Don’t lie, we know you have. While it’s fun to see the faces of the people who enjoy your presence, it’s not always a luxurious job.
1. Yes, it’s hot in here.
If you’re not wearing shorts and a breathable shirt, it’s ROUGH. The usual rule of thumb is that whatever the temperature is where you are, it’ll be 20-25º hotter inside the costume. Some places have ice packs that you can put inside the costume, but most don’t have the luxury to use this amazing asset. And it’s not like you can wipe the sweat out of your eyes, with your gloves/giant hands and your head totally enclosed.
Yes, they’re cute (sometimes). Yes, they’re funny (sometimes). But put them in the same room with a mascot and dear lord help the poor soul who’s getting hit in the face, jumped all over, and kicked in the shins. The other day, I was at a youth soccer event and if my coworker wasn’t behind me, I would’ve fell down the stairs of the stadium because the children tried to PUSH ME DOWN THE STAIRS. We also can’t forget that their jokes are terrible and their requests are extreme. Always asking you to do burpees or race. I have shoes that are 20x too big on me but sure, I’ll do some jumping jacks.
The head is SO HEAVY. By the end, you think you’ll never be able to move your neck again. The picture below is an example of Maggie resting her head because she was DYING.
4. The ADULTS
Especially the drunk adults. The jokes, “Hey is it hot in there?” “Hey, can you oink?” Like, no. You are a GROWN human.
5. How tired you are afterward.
This isn’t so bad because you sleep beautifully at night but it’s for sure exhausting. Spending hours having to pick up your giant shoes with every step and dancing with everyone that comes up to you.
6. The Spotlight
You are the main attraction! Whether you’re the pig or D’Artagnan, you run the show! They don’t call them Xavier Musketeers or Marathon the Flying Pig for nothing!
7. The Comedy
There are few things funnier in this world than watching a mascot do its thing. We can’t talk, so everything is mimed out when messing with fans. Hilarity usually ensues.
Mascots are a family, regardless of where you are. Through doing different events, you begin to meet the “faces behind the faces,” and before you know it, you’re in a group chat with 700 other college/pro/event mascots from around the world.
As a mascot, you’ll experience things that very few people ever get to do, whether it’s performing on the court of Madison Square Garden in front of 18,000 fans, play tee ball with all your mascot buddies on the field at Great American Ball Park, or dance with a bride at her wedding that you’ve been booked to attend, you’ll be sure to remember these experiences for the rest of your life.
Finally, the real reason we do it, the fans! There’s nothing like making someone smile during a game or event. We’re there to entertain and to humor, and we pride ourselves on doing it well. If we can make a room full of people bust out laughing at one thing or another, our job is done.
There are certainly pro’s and con’s to being a mascot, but overall it’s an awesome thing! It’s rewarding to see the faces of excitement and how happy people are that you’re around!
P.S. Some mascots are ugly!