I wasn’t at all shocked by the latest story about a professional mascot performer exercising, at the least, poor judgment when he was caught in a prostitution sting (Pat's mascot arrested). That’s right…the Patriot’s mascot performer Robert Sormanti was arrested for trying to pay for sex with a prostitute. In the light of the Tiger Woods scandal I guess none of us should be shocked about anyone making stupid decisions but my lack of shock with Pat and his proclivities is a result of our working with clients to avoid just this kind devastating revelation. Most NFL teams in my experience are the worst offenders in this area. Many in the NFL treat their mascot programs as “kids in suits” and not living breathing brand extensions. There are exceptions of course and honestly I can’t be sure about the Patriots mascot program but in our industry performers are usually not vetted thoroughly through an audition process that includes background checks, drug screens along with “in and out” of costume interviews. Sometimes all that it takes in many organizations is a pulse to be considered as a serious candidate for a position as a mascot performer. Then to increase their exposure to this type of struggle the organization requires no serious training for these “kids in suits” other than to make sure they fit in the costume. What really makes this problem sticky is if any of your performers (including someone who was a backup to your backup) makes a bad choice the performer gets tarnished and your mascot is dragged down in the mud with them. Imagine what Pat is going to hear from the stands this Sunday or at the next personal appearance in the Boston area not to mention what the late night talk show hosts will do with it!
The fix can be simple and affordable. Hire professional to screen, identify and audition your performers. Then have them trained to be safe for themselves and your fans. You must realize for good or bad your mascot is a direct reflection of your organization and you need to treat it as serious fun and not just a “kid in a suit”. If you don’t you may wake up to read that your beloved mascot has just caught his fur in a knot…so to speak!
