Football fans are quick to relay their favorite team, but who takes the crown for the best mascot?
A recent study conducted by Raging Bull Slots analyzed key metrics on Instagram, such as profile follower counts, engagement rates, and the percentage of followers reached per post, to gauge the popularity of mascots from all major NFL teams with business accounts on Instagram – which excluded the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Philadelphia Eagles. Each team was awarded a total score out of 30, revealing which mascots are the most-loved among fans.
The top spot on the list goes to Brownie the Elf, the mascot of the Cleveland Browns, with a score of 20 out of 30. Despite having a moderate follower account of just over 29,000, Brownie boasts the highest engagement rate at 10.4%.
Coming in second place is Sourdough Sam from the San Francisco 49ers, scoring 19 out of 30 with an engagement rate of 9.2%. The top three are rounded out by Roary, the Detroit Lions mascot, who, despite having the smallest follower count, attains the highest engagement rate at 50% with a score of 16.4.
The study also highlights other interesting insights, such as the Indianapolis Colts’ mascot, Blue, having the largest follower count at 258,000, but the lowest engagement rate at just 0.3%. Staley Da Bear of the Chicago Bears and Rampage the Ram of the Los Angeles Rams claim the fourth and fifth spots, respectively.
On the flip side, the least-loved mascot is Rowdy from the Dallas Cowboys – scoring 11.1 out of 30. Despite having over 66,000 followers, Rowdy’s engagement rate is 74% lower than expected for a following that large.
Information front the study emphasizes the role mascots play in the fan experience and contributing to team identity.
“Mascots bring fun to each and every game, and engaging with supporters on Instagram is a great way to keep fans involved throughout the season,” a spokesperson from Raging Bull Slots said in a statement.
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Below is a list of the 14 most popular NFL mascots ranked by Raging Bull Slots.
The Top 14 Most-Loved NFL Mascots
- Cleveland Browns – Brownie the Elf
- San Francisco 49ers – Sourdough Sam
- Detroit Lions – Roary
- Indianapolis Colts – Blue
- Chicago Bears – Staley Da Bear
- Los Angeles Rams – Rampage the Ram
- Minnesota Vikings – Viktor the Viking
- Tennessee Titans – T-Rac
- Seattle Seahawks – Blitz
- Carolina Panthers – Sir Purr
- Houston Texans – Toro
- Jacksonville Jaguars – Jaxson de Ville
- Atlanta Falcons – Freddie the Falcon
- Dallas Cowboys – Rowdy