The honour of being a soccer mascot is an enthralling custom. Alternatives for younger supporters to really feel near their heroes and golf equipment are few and much between, and it doesn’t get a lot nearer than main the staff out for a sport.
Even Premier League and Championship golf equipment provide the prospect to be a mascot. In an period by which soccer on the high stage can really feel sanitised, the persistence of this practice is to be applauded.
Nevertheless, the place there’s entry to be gained, there’s cash to be made. The matchday mascot has grow to be one other side of soccer’s nice tug-of-war between neighborhood and commerce.
How a lot does it value to be a matchday mascot?
For a lot of soccer followers of a traditionalist bent, the function of the matchday mascot is seen as a privilege, not only a buy. Constructing the subsequent era of followers is necessary and the flexibility to offer a magical expertise is a good way to forge unbreakable connections that final for all times.
Nevertheless it hasn’t at all times been a free expertise, and it’s not at all times a free expertise now. In some locations, it’s truly very costly. The social implications of which are apparent: some households can afford it and others can’t. Golf equipment must earn money however that specific division is problematic.
Research by OLBG has revealed surprisingly constructive developments within the Premier League, the place the golf equipment have began bringing their matchday mascot providing into line with what must be acceptable.
Within the 2023-24 season, 5 of the present Premier League golf equipment researched provided matchday mascot experiences for a worth. The best payment by far was charged by Aston Villa, the place being a mascot value greater than £500.
Villa have made some questionable business choices prior to now couple of years however scrapping the mascot payment was a win within the eyes of supporters.
Brighton & Hove Albion (£240 – £340, down from £375), Ipswich City (£250), West Ham United (£175 – £375) and Wolverhampton Wanderers (£290 – £395, down from £450) are the Premier League golf equipment lined within the examine that apply a cost to be a matchday mascot.
If the information is broadly constructive within the Premier League, one or two golf equipment within the Championship must be taking word.
OLBG discovered that eight of the golf equipment lined within the analysis cost mother and father and guardians to have their younger ones lead out the staff on a matchday. A number of of these charges are greater than these within the Premier League.
In line with the analysis, Middlesbrough, Queens Park Rangers and Sheffield United cost £350 per mascot, whereas Bristol Metropolis and Blackburn Rovers matches can push so far as £275.
Norwich Metropolis’s payment is a worryingly open-ended £275+ and one membership applies a variety of costs between £350 and £400.
Millwall are the membership whose mascot charges exceed these of each Premier League membership.
Listed here are all of the charges recognized by the OLBG analysis:
| Membership | Division | Mascot Payment |
| Arsenal | Premier League | Free |
| Aston Villa | Premier League | Free |
| Bournemouth | Premier League | Free |
| Brentford | Premier League | Free |
| Brighton | Premier League | £240 – £340 |
| Chelsea | Premier League | Free |
| Everton | Premier League | Free |
| Ipswich City | Premier League | £250 |
| Leicester Metropolis | Premier League | Free |
| Liverpool | Premier League | Free |
| Man Metropolis | Premier League | Free |
| Man United | Premier League | Free |
| Newcastle | Premier League | Free |
| Nottingham Forest | Premier League | Free |
| Southampton | Premier League | Free |
| Tottenham | Premier League | Free |
| West Ham | Premier League | £175 – £375 |
| Wolves | Premier League | £290 – £395 |
| Millwall | Championship | £350 – £400 |
| Norwich Metropolis | Championship | £250+ |
| Bristol Metropolis | Championship | £210 – £275 |
| Sheffield United | Championship | £350 |
| Middlesbrough | Championship | £350 |
| QPR | Championship | £350 |
| Blackburn | Championship | £275 |
| Sunderland | Championship | £185 |
| West Brom | Championship | £150 |