REVEALED: The cost of becoming a Premier League mascot, with six clubs charging £300 or MORE after Arsenal’s squad were filmed ignoring a young mascot as they stopped to sign her shirt
- The costs of being a mascot across Premier League clubs has been revealed
- Only six top flight sides charge supporters for the experience of being one
- Aston Villa’s package costs the most at £500, while the Big Six don’t charge
West Midlands rivals Aston Villa and Wolves lead the Premier League in the staggering amount it costs to be a match-day mascot.
Villa top the table with their ‘Mascot Experience’ setting you back a whopping £500 for a Category A game, while it dips to £460 for Category B games.
For Wolves meanwhile, it costs up to £450, with spaces still available for their final three home fixtures against Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Everton.
A club-by-club list of costs to be a mascot, compiled by Mail Sport, shows the dear price of what many teams sell as a ‘once-in-a-lifetime experience’.
Information was only available for 18 of the 20 Premier League teams with Mail Sport still awaiting a response from Nottingham Forest and Newcastle after contacting them – although the Magpies did reveal packages had sold out this season.
Aston Villa lead the table in the price it costs to be a mascot across all Premier League clubs
Wolves’ mascot packages are the second highest, costing £450 for Category A fixtures
The role of the mascot has come under scrutiny this week after Arsenal stars were slammed for seemingly ignoring a young mascot before their draw away at West Ham on Sunday.
In more positive news for the Gunners, they are one of all the Big Six clubs who do not charge for the experience of being a mascot, with those wanting to walk out with their heroes just needing a Junior Gunners membership – which costs up to £20.
To their credit, many other clubs also offer packages for free, although they are often restricted to certain sections of the fanbase.
For example, to be a mascot at Brentford, there is no cost, but you must have the latest full home kit and also be a junior Season Ticket holder – something that will cost £124 next season as Thomas Frank’s side embark on their third successive season in the top flight.
A number of clubs, including Liverpool, Leeds, Chelsea and both Manchester sides choose their mascots through a random draw from their respective junior membership club and junior season ticket holders.
The top price to be a mascot at West Ham has reduced to £375, after costing £700 in 2019
However, it’s not an easy process, with Chelsea revealing how they have a four-year waiting list to be a mascot.
In total, only six clubs charge for the mascot experience, which is a reduction on 10 back in 2019, in data compiled by the BBC and reported by Mail Sport at the time – but packages at all of those clubs cost £300 or more.
Brighton have pay-for packages available – costing between £225-£375 but they also offer two free places at every home game to junior season ticket holders and members.
Villa’s £500 is steep, but their website lists several benefits that it does include.
If you are a mascot for Unai Emery’s high-flying side, you’ll receive a full junior home or away kit of your choice, a complimentary drink on arrival, a player meet and greet and a shout-out on Twitter, among other various perks.
The role of the mascot has come into scrutiny this week after Arsenal stars were slammed for seemingly ignoring a young mascot before their draw away at West Ham on Sunday
However, the mascot’s father has since leapt to the players’ defence, insisting the footage was just a ‘small window’ on her day. He also shared a photo of her holding Odegaard’s hand
Similarly, the £450 cost to walk out with Julen Lopetegui’s outfit at Molineux does include two adult and two junior tickets in ‘premium view seating’, access to hospitality lounges and a full 2022-23 home kit.
At Bournemouth it costs £300 to be a mascot in Category A games. This includes fixtures against the Big Six, plus the south coast derby with Southampton.
For that price, the benefits include a photograph with the team captains and match officials in the centre circle, the opportunity to lead the team onto the pitch and a ‘goodie bag full of AFC Bournemouth gifts’.
Mascots at £375-priced Crystal Palace will be able to meet the whole first team squad and management in the changing room, while the same cost at West Ham will allow mascots to ‘take part in the official handshake with the visiting team’, among many other perks.
Tottenham and the rest of the Big Six clubs no longer charge to be a mascot, with several sides instead choosing to offer it as a perk to junior members and season ticket holders
Bournemouth’s Lloyd Kelly greets his team’s mascot ahead of their game away at Brentford. It costs up to £300 for the experience with the Cherries but is free for young Bees supporters
Following the previous data collected by the BBC in 2019, Leicester received significant criticism for charging £600 for their VIP mascot package.
However, the club now lists the opportunity to be a mascot as part of their Junior Foxes benefits package, with two members and two junior season ticket holders selected at random for each game, meaning it is now free.
Elsewhere, Tottenham no longer charge after previously asking fans to shell out £405 for the experience, with mascot packages listed as ‘one of a number of free benefits available to One Hotspur Junior Members and Season Ticket Holders aged 14 and under’.
Meanwhile, West Ham had the highest price in 2019 at £700, but this has since reduced to £375.
Bournemouth, Brighton and Wolves remain the only teams who have increased their top prices for mascots since 2019, in what is surely a welcome step for football supporters.
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