West Midlands rivals Aston Villa and Wolves lead the Premier League within the staggering quantity it prices to be a match-day mascot.
Villa prime the desk with their ‘Mascot Expertise’ setting you again a whopping £500 for a Class A sport, whereas it dips to £460 for Class B video games.
For Wolves in the meantime, it prices as much as £450, with areas nonetheless obtainable for his or her closing three house fixtures towards Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Everton.
A club-by-club record of prices to be a mascot, compiled by Mail Sport, reveals the pricey value of what many groups promote as a ‘once-in-a-lifetime expertise’.
Data was solely obtainable for 18 of the 20 Premier League groups with Newcastle and Nottingham Forest informing Mail Sport that mascot locations are both handed out free of charge by way of group programmes or obtainable as a part of a wider hospitality bundle – that means a precise determine is not obtainable.
Aston Villa lead the desk within the value it prices to be a mascot throughout all Premier League golf equipment
Wolves’ mascot packages are the second highest, costing £450 for Class A fixtures
The function of the mascot has come beneath scrutiny this week after Arsenal stars have been slammed for seemingly ignoring a younger fan earlier than their draw away at West Ham on Sunday.
In additional constructive information for the Gunners, they’re one in every of all of the Massive Six golf equipment who don’t cost for the expertise of being a mascot, with these eager to stroll out with their heroes simply needing a Junior Gunners membership – which prices as much as £20.
To their credit score, many different golf equipment additionally supply packages free of charge, though they’re typically restricted to sure sections of the fanbase.
For instance, to be a mascot at Brentford, there isn’t a value, however you will need to have the most recent full house equipment and likewise be a junior Season Ticket holder – one thing that can value £124 subsequent season as Thomas Frank’s facet embark on their third successive season within the prime flight.
Quite a lot of golf equipment, together with Liverpool, Leeds, Chelsea and each Manchester sides select their mascots by way of a random draw from their respective junior membership membership and junior season ticket holders.
The highest value to be a mascot at West Ham has lowered to £375, after costing £700 in 2019
Nevertheless, it is not a straightforward course of, with Chelsea revealing how they’ve a four-year ready record to be a mascot.
In whole, solely six golf equipment cost for the mascot expertise, which is a discount on 10 again in 2019, in information compiled by the BBC and reported by Mail Sport on the time – however packages in any respect of these golf equipment value £300 or extra.
Brighton have pay-for packages obtainable – costing between £225-£375 however in addition they supply two free locations at each house sport to junior season ticket holders and members.
Villa’s £500 is steep, however their web site lists a number of advantages that it does embody.
In case you are a mascot for Unai Emery’s high-flying facet, you may obtain a full junior house or away equipment of your alternative, a complimentary drink on arrival, a participant meet and greet and a shout-out on Twitter, amongst different varied perks.
The function of the mascot has come into scrutiny this week after Arsenal stars have been slammed for seemingly ignoring a younger mascot earlier than their draw away at West Ham on Sunday
Nevertheless, the mascot’s father has since leapt to the gamers’ defence, insisting the footage was only a ‘small window’ on her day. He additionally shared a photograph of her holding Odegaard’s hand
Equally, the £450 value to stroll out with Julen Lopetegui’s outfit at Molineux does embody two grownup and two junior tickets in ‘premium view seating’, entry to hospitality lounges and a full 2022-23 house equipment.
At Bournemouth it prices £300 to be a mascot in Class A video games. This consists of fixtures towards the Massive Six, plus the south coast derby with Southampton.
For that value, the advantages embody {a photograph} with the group captains and match officers within the centre circle, the chance to steer the group onto the pitch and a ‘goodie bag stuffed with AFC Bournemouth presents’.
Mascots at £375-priced Crystal Palace – the place charges start at £200 – will have the ability to meet the entire first group squad and administration within the altering room, whereas the identical value at West Ham will permit mascots to ‘participate within the official handshake with the visiting group’, amongst many different perks.
Following the earlier information collected by the BBC in 2019, Leicester acquired important criticism for charging £600 for his or her VIP mascot bundle.
Tottenham and the remainder of the Massive Six golf equipment not cost to be a mascot, with a number of sides as a substitute selecting to supply it as a perk to junior members and season ticket holders
Bournemouth’s Lloyd Kelly greets his group’s mascot forward of their sport away at Brentford. It prices as much as £300 for the expertise with the Cherries however is free for younger Bees supporters
Nevertheless, the membership now lists the chance to be a mascot as a part of their Junior Foxes advantages bundle, with two members and two junior season ticket holders chosen at random for every sport, that means it’s now free.
Elsewhere, Tottenham not cost after beforehand asking followers to shell out £405 for the expertise, with mascot packages listed as ‘one in every of plenty of free advantages obtainable to One Hotspur Junior Members and Season Ticket Holders aged 14 and beneath’.
In the meantime, West Ham had the best value in 2019 at £700, however this has since lowered to £375.
Bournemouth, Brighton and Wolves stay the one groups who’ve elevated their prime costs for mascots since 2019, in what is unquestionably a welcome step for soccer supporters.
