The Bull Who Outlasted Michael Jordan
And Became a Social Media Legend
Chicago, IL · Basketball
★Mascot Hall of Fame — Class of 2017
| Team / Organization | Chicago Bulls |
|---|---|
| Location | Chicago, IL |
| League / Division | NBA |
| First Debuted | 1969 |
| Species / Type | Bull (anthropomorphic, red-furred) |
| Best Known For | Most popular mascot in sports (Forbes 2013); trampoline dunks, popcorn pranks, viral social media presence |
| Year Inducted | 2017 |
Profile
Benny the Bull has been entertaining Bulls fans since 1969, making him one of the oldest mascots in professional sports. Named after Ben Bentley, the team’s first PR director and stadium announcer, Benny has outlasted dynasties, rebuilds, and Michael Jordan himself — which is saying something. In 2013, Forbes named him the most popular mascot in all of sports, and his TikTok presence has since made him a viral phenomenon across every platform.
Fun Facts
- Benny’s current form was introduced in 2004, but the bull mascot lineage dates back to 1969, when general manager Pat Williams introduced the character to boost attendance at a struggling Chicago Stadium — it worked.
- Benny was famously one of 29 playable secret characters in the 1994 video game NBA Jam: Tournament Edition, hidden alongside characters like George Clinton and the Fresh Prince.
- In less than eight months after launching a TikTok account, Benny grew to 3.3 million followers — the most followed professional sports TikTok account in North America at the time.
