Whenever you attend a live sporting event, the team mascot is the source of laughs, halftime fun, high-flying dunks and downright entertainment. While we enjoy them there, we can almost guarantee that after you learn how much a few particular NBA mascots make per year, you'll wonder how to become the next one.
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Sports Business Journal revealed the top five highest-paid mascots in the NBA and the results were stunning. Below, we'll take a look at those mascots rolling in cash, including the ridiculous salary of Denver Nuggets' SuperMascot Rocky.
How Much Does the Denver Nuggets' Mascot Make?
Denver Nuggets mascot Rocky signals to fans in the second half of the game against the Charlotte Hornets at Ball Arena on December 18, 2022 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Tafoya/Getty Images)
SuperMascot Rocky, also known by some as Rocky the Mountain Lion, whose "daring acrobatics and innovative skits" have wowed fans in Denver since 1990, is the NBA mascot version of Jeff Bezos. He reportedly takes home $625,000 in annual salary. That's right, the team that houses Nikola Jokic, the best player in the NBA, has the best and highest-paid mascot.
According to FOX 31 in Colorado in 2022, the mascot costs $750 per hour to rent, and corporate partners get him for just $500. If you're interested in having Rocky at a birthday party, it'll run you $400 for 30 minutes or, again, $750 for the hour. However, if you're a season ticket holder, you can meet him for $135 at the game, or non-season ticket holders can access the coveted masked lion for $150.
To put this in perspective, the average WNBA player's salary is just north of $113,000.
The rate for Rocky may only go up as the Nuggets are in the NBA Finals and leading the series 1-0 against the Miami Heat and Jimmy Butler, taking Game 1 at Ball Arena. The Nuggets entered the championship playoff series after sweeping the LeBron James-led Los Angeles Lakers. At the same time, the Heat came in after a grueling seven-game series against the Boston Celtics.
Can the Nuggets take care of business and win the NBA championship? If so, does the mascot's salary also receive a boost? I guess we'll find out.
The Rest of the Highest-Paid NBA Mascots
Atlanta Hawks mascot Harry the Hawk gets the crowd pumped prior to the game against the Orlando Magic at State Farm Arena on October 21, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
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The top-five mascots are all paid at least six figures.
- Denver Nuggets - SuperMascot Rocky: $625,000
- Atlanta Hawks - Harry the Hawk: $600,000
- Chicago Bulls - Benny the Bull: $400,000
- Phoenix Suns - Go the Gorilla: $200,000
- Charlotte Hornets - Hugo the Hornet: $100,000
Between these five mascots, the average salary is $385,000. All in a day's work for the funniest person in the arena.
