Do you ever feel like the mascot for every high school or college team is a Wildcat or a Bulldog? Well you would be right, because they’re two of the top four mascot choices in sports.
As the NFL’s Washington Commanders prepare to select a new mascot, they are considering one of these popular mascots – a dog – as well as a not so common one – a hog. This week on the “Something Offbeat” podcast, host Mike Rogers explores why mascot choices are so important with Jason Klein, co-founder of the sports branding company Brandiose.
“If you ask a bunch of, you know, an elementary school class in the market, hey, do you recognize this person? You know, 90% have no idea who this player is,” Klein – who formerly entertained audiences as Big Al the elephant at the University of Alabama – explained. “But everybody goes, oh, my gosh, I recognize that mascot like that’s so and so. And it brings a smile to their face.”
He also shared what it takes to get a gig as a high-profile mascot, what its like to wear those giant suits, and the benefits of picking offbeat mascots like a chicken and a mysterious entity named Gritty.
Each week “Something Offbeat” dives into an unusual news story. If you have suggestions for stories the podcast should cover, send them to us at somethingoffbeat@audacy.com.
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