Don’t be too hard on us for this one, we aren’t Flyers fans – I mean, what kind of Canadians would we be? Leafs fans all the way, baby! However, we are huge fans of Gritty, the team behind him and how he has changed the game for sports mascots.
Mascots have acted as a family friendly distraction from the seriousness and tension of sports games, a photo opt for fans and a beloved animal for everyone to swoon over between periods for years but most unfortunately, almost all of them have the same boring demeanor and a short biography with some fabricated story on their teams’ website. That is, until Gritty came along.
In case you’ve been living under a rock, Gritty is a chunky, seven-foot-tall, ball of orange fur with big unblinking, googly eyes, dressed head to toe in Flyers gear and known for his loyal but mischievous personality. Gritty was introduced to the world a year ago and has been keeping it interesting ever since.
The team behind Gritty has created more than just a loveable, photo opt - they have gone above and beyond creating a hilarious personality that lives up to his name. Gritty has become a hockey legend for his rude antics against opposing fans and his social media presence that will make you laugh out loud. From dumping popcorn on Rangers fans, throwing a bystanders pizza on the ground, streaking at hockey games, throwing himself a birthday party and making chocolate in Switzerland with his team, Gritty is probably the busiest mascot in the business. Follow him on social media, you wont be disappointed.
They took what could have been a monotone, average mascot and made him into a persona that even fans of other teams can't ignore - and you know we're suckers for going against the norm.
As the Flyers said, “this mascot is dumb, all mascots are dumb – lets have fun with it!” A quote we can all practice in life and in business. We tend to take ourselves and our work a little too seriously, lets be honest, most of us aren’t saving lives so get weird, let's have fun.
Check out our favourite Gritty moments here.