Mascot Hall of Fame Opens 2026 Nominations — and It’s Your Turn to Make History
The most fun vote you’ll cast all year is now open at MascotHallofFame.com
Every sports fan has that one mascot. The one that made a game-day memory stick. The one that photobombed a family picture, hyped up a stadium when the team needed it most, or showed up at a school visit and made a kid’s entire year. The one that, if you’re being honest, you’d vote for over a few of the players.
Well, now you actually can — sort of.
The Mascot Hall of Fame has officially opened nominations for its 2026 Induction Class, and fans across the country are invited to make their voices heard. Whether your nominee plays in a packed NFL stadium, roams the sidelines of a college football powerhouse, or has been the heart of a minor league ballpark for decades, this is their moment — and yours.
Nominations closed on July 1, 2026.
A New Chapter for a One-of-a-Kind Institution
The Mascot Hall of Fame is entering 2026 under new management and with a renewed sense of purpose. The mission has always been clear — honor excellence, preserve history, spotlight innovation, and celebrate the performers who bring these characters to life — but the energy behind it right now is unmistakable.
“Mascots are more than entertainers,” said Christopher Bruce, Executive Director of the Mascot Hall of Fame. “They are community builders, brand ambassadors, performers, athletes, comedians, and cultural icons. This induction process gives fans everywhere a chance to celebrate the characters and performers who have created unforgettable moments for generations.”
That’s not just a press release quote. Anyone who has watched a great mascot work a crowd — turning a rain delay into a highlight reel, or visiting a children’s hospital on a Tuesday because that’s just what they do — knows exactly what Bruce means. These characters carry real weight. The Hall exists to ensure that weight is recognized.
Who Made It In Last Year?
Before you start nominating, it helps to know the standard you’re nominating against. The 2025 Induction Class set the bar high, welcoming five legendary characters into the Hall:
- Toro — Houston Texans (NFL)
- Blitz — Seattle Seahawks (NFL)
- SJ Sharkie — San Jose Sharks (NHL)
- Fredbird — St. Louis Cardinals (MLB)
- Sebastian the Ibis — University of Miami (NCAA)
Five mascots. Five different sports. Five completely different ways to win over a fan base. That range is exactly what makes the Mascot Hall of Fame’s induction process so compelling — there’s no single template for greatness here.
Here’s How It Works
The 2026 induction process is straightforward, fan-driven, and genuinely fun to follow. Here’s the full timeline:
- June 17 — Nominations Opened
- July 1 — Nominations Closed
- July 10 — Fan Voting Begins
- July 26 — Fan Voting Ends
- Week of August 3 — 2026 Inductees Announced
Once nominations close and the ballot is finalized, fans can vote for their favorites on the Mascot Hall of Fame website up to two times per day throughout the voting period. That’s not a typo — two votes per day, every day, from July 10 through July 26. If your mascot has a passionate fan base, now is the time to find out just how passionate it is.
The 2026 campaign is designed to reach both national and regional audiences — from major-market professional teams with millions of followers to beloved local mascots who have been the backbone of their communities for years without ever making national headlines. The Hall wants to hear about all of them.
Who Should You Nominate?
That’s the fun part — and entirely up to you. The Mascot Hall of Fame is open to professional, collegiate, and iconic mascots across sports, entertainment, education, and community life. There’s no strict eligibility checklist beyond one question: has this mascot made a genuine, lasting impact?
Think about longevity. Think about community presence. Think about in-game performance, social media reach, and the kind of moments that live in a fan base’s collective memory long after the final score is forgotten. Think about the mascot that made you laugh, made you cry, or made you genuinely proud of your team just by showing up.
Then go nominate them.
Throughout the nomination and voting period, Reggy — the official spokescharacter of the Mascot Hall of Fame — will be sharing nominee spotlights, fan engagement opportunities, and voting reminders across the Hall’s social media channels. Following along is half the fun, and a good way to discover nominees you might not have considered.
Why This Matters More Than You Think
Mascots occupy a genuinely unique space in American sports culture. They’re the first thing kids see at a game and often the last thing fans remember about a season. They do community work that goes largely unheralded, show up for people in ways that have nothing to do with wins and losses, and carry the identity of a team or institution on their shoulders — sometimes literally, if the costume is heavy enough.
The Mascot Hall of Fame exists because that work deserves recognition. The 2026 induction cycle is a chance for fans to be part of that recognition process and to ensure the mascots who have mattered most don’t get overlooked.
Nominations are closed. The deadline was July 1, 2026.
