Photo courtesy of the Chicago Bulls
For the past nearly 100 years, mascots have been an important part of a professional sports team’s identity. In the past live animals were all the rage, but in the second half of the 20th century, a revolution took place and teams turned to mascots of the costumed, anthropomorphized variety. Mr. Met – the mascot of the then expansion New York Mets – became the first costumed mascot in Major League Baseball.
From those nascent days, the floodgates were opened and virtually every pro team in the country has a costumed character patrolling the stands and rallying the crowds. They are social media stars and produce some the best-selling merchandise that each team has to offer. Children love them, adults love them, virtually everyone loves them. But which one is the most loved?
Recently, the online gaming site LSR sought to determine which mascot was America’s most popular. Analyzing data from Instagram, which was found to have allowed many mascots to grow significant online followings in the past decade, of the four major sports leagues it was determined that Benny the Bull, the mascot of the NBA’s Chicago Bulls, is America’s most popular mascot. Having an online following of around 513,000, Benny – who has been with Chicago since 1969 – is known for his trick dunks and acrobatic flips.
Coming in second with almost 471,000 Instagram followers is Blue, the mascot of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts. The team’s mascot since 2006, Blue is known for his pranks, challenges, world travels that he posts about online.
Photo courtesy of the Indianapolis Colts
Also representing the NFL and ranking third in Instagram popularity with 275,000 followers is Toro, the mascot of the Houston Texans – with the team since their inaugural season in 2001, Toro has made a reputation of his highlight reel stunts.
Photo courtesy of the Houston Texans
“The mascots who represent America’s major sports teams have their own important role as stand-out characters that fans can rally behind to support their team and see in person at their games”, said Adam Candee, the Managing Editor of LSR in a news release. “It is understandable that many of them would have gained a significant online following, especially on Instagram where they often post clips of their antics during games”.
Gritty, the mascot of the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers, ranked third with around 459,200 Instagram followers. The furry, orange creature has been the team’s mascot since 2018, and has proven to be a pop culture phenomenon.
Photo courtesy of the Philadelphia Flyers
Rounding out the top five is the second mascot from the City of Brotherly Love, the legendary Phillie Phanatic, mascot of MLB’s Philadelphia Phillies. With around 211,400 Instagram followers, the Phanatic is an icon in the world of professional mascots. He’s been with the team since 1978 and is famous – or infamous – for his run-ins with opposing teams and fans.
Photo courtesy of the Philadelphia Phillies
“[It] should be noted that the most successful mascots also use their following to share positive messages and have more personal interactions with the fans, like Benny the Bull promoting literacy to local schools and making public appearances around Chicago”, Candee said. “This shows the extent to which sports mascots can impact their local community beyond just hyping up fans during games”.
Top 20 most followed American sports mascots on Instagram:
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Follow Eric Moreno's Stadium Journey on Twitter at @EricMoreno6477.
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