I love mascots.
Not in a fetishy kind of way. There's nothing sexual about my love for mascots. I just want to be around mascots all the time. Mascots make me happy. In an ideal world, I would be a mascot's handler.
Mascots are the brand ambassador for their band. Mascots can help you fall in love with a team that you never thought you would love. Sometimes, you may not fall in love with the team, but you fall in love with the mascot.
My love (obsession) with mascots is what led me to watch Hulu's original series Behind the Mask. It allows the fan a glimpse into what the job of being a mascot actually entails. If you think these guys have an easy job, think again.
As someone who works in sports, mascots remind me of something that can be easy to forget, especially on a game night. My job is to bring other people entertainment. Sports are fun. Working in sports in fun. (Sometimes stressful, but mostly fun.) Working in tickets, I don't always get to see the joy that my fans have when they attend one of our games. But the games I'm not working, I get to see the joy in my daughter's eyes as she anxiously awaits for the mascot to come visit her.
If you have Hulu,watch the show. As Season One reminds us, players and coaches change, but the mascot is always the same. They are a brand ambassador for your favorite team, just as much as any player. Next time you're at a game and the mascot goes in for a high five, hug, or to use you in a gag, let them. They're just tying to do their job, and like all of us, sometimes they need to be reminded that they're doing an awesome one.
