Considering the fact that professional sport competitions generate a lot of money, itâs no surprise that the NBA offers some of the highest salaries. Players, coaches and managers in the NBA could receive millions of dollars for their service. But as people often focus on the income of certain position, few pay attention to the mascot of the team. Since everyone in the NBA seems to collect excellent wages compare to normal careers, the average payment for mascots would not be too shabby, right? So how much do NBA mascots make in a year?
If you are curious about the earning of mascots in the NBA and wish to learn more about the occupation, this article is for you. The information below contains everything that you should remember about NBA mascot from their workday to the nominal pay rate. In addition to that, if you wish to work as a mascot for your favorite team, there are also hints to help you secure employment. Generally speaking, moving around in a costume for an extended period of time is challenging but once you become experienced/popular, the salary is nice.
Working As A Mascot: Summary
Itâs highly likely that you have a general idea about the purpose of employing mascots in sport but to tackle the question of “how much do NBA mascots make”, you must grasp their function. As a result, here are a couple of things that you should keep in mind when it comes to mascots.
To put it plainly, sport mascots are used in order to advertise the image of their teams in public places. Depending on the characteristics of the teams, the mascots could take after an animal, a famous figure and so on. From the first glance, itâs tedious to work as a mascot but the position is nonetheless entertaining: you could interact with various players, excite the fans, participate in celebrations,… Although mascots in low-level/amateur leagues receive negligible financial rewards, their peers at professional competitions receive far better treatments.
Normally, teams hire people to work as full-time mascots but part-time spots open up from time to time. As no education is required, all physically-fit sport fans with outgoing personalities could apply for the position of mascot. Of course, candidates that happen to have experience in cheerleading shall have some advantages as mascots might have to dance, perform acrobatics and so on. Top-tier mascots are known to have “exceptional skills” such as zip-lining, somersaulting, dunking a basketball in full costume…
While the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics lacks details about the salaries of mascots, there are estimates on magazines. Overall, full-time rookie mascots receive about $25,000 annually at the minimum and as experience come into play, the number increases. Compared to the average salary of around $50,000 in the US, the starting wage for mascots seems mediocre if not low. However, itâs worth noting that experienced mascots could earn up to $100,000 a year which is higher than the median income these kinds of days.
The Salary Of NBA Mascots
For most new mascots that work in the NBA, the annual earning stay slightly above $20,000 which is obviously less than half of the average salary. But as mentioned above, as the rookie mascots gain more experience, their paycheck would rise. Itâs natural for the wage of veteran mascots to be 5 times higher than beginners. Moreover, different teams offer different salaries: at $625,000, the mascot of Denver Nuggets receives the highest salary in the business nowadays. While such a salary is unexceptional in the NBA, itâs better than other occupations.
Common Sources Of Mascot Incomes
Normally, NBA mascots earn their salaries through sponsorship, community events, public appearances and so on. Play your cards right and there is a fairly good chance that you are going to get a six-figure earning in the near future. Of course, in order to attain that kind of income, you need to invest a whole lot of time and effort to develop your career. Similar to other positions in the NBA, the working environment of mascots contain heavy pressures as well as multiple competitors. Therefore, the mascots have to work hard for their payment.
Applying For The Position Of Mascot And Afterward: Comprehensive Instructions
- Take Times To Improve Yourselves
Despite the fact that inexperienced mascots receive less than ideal salaries, many loyal fans still want to cheer to their team as the official mascot. That is why in order to secure employment, itâs of utmost importance that you improve your stamina, techniques and so on at every opportunity. With multiple applications for the job, teams tend to prioritize people that have something to offer from the get-go. Be it cheering experience, acrobatic skill, physical endurance,… Show what you could do as the mascot in the team and you might get the gig.
- Consider Participating In Training Courses
In the case you got the job, you should seriously think about joining the training courses hosted by the NBA for mascots in the league. These courses provide NBA mascots with significant assistance when it comes to optimizing field performance. For your information, the best mascots shall receive an award at the end of the year which often boosts their salaries in the next season. So if you want to bring home more money as a mascot, itâs strongly recommended that you refine your skill through NBA training courses.
- No Matter What, Be Cheerful
Mascots contribute greatly to the image of sport teams so at all times, you must keep up a cheerful attitude. Of course, not to mention the activities you need to perform in a match, itâs hard to stay energetic while wearing a heavy costume. Nonetheless, most fans definitely love to see the mascots of their teams actively cheering from the beginning to the end. Furthermore, if the owner of the team concludes that you have a positive effect on the morale of the team and the fans mood, you could expect a bonus soon.
