Among life’s greatest unanswered questions: what came first, the chicken or the egg? Why does a round pizza come in a square box, but it’s sliced into triangles? And, one that has stumped us recently—why was there a giant “R” on the field at the halftime show at the Panda Game?
Mascots shouldn’t make audience members think and wonder what this one-mascot-show is trying to spell out.
The “R” stands for “Ravens,” but teams should have a character, not a letter, that represents them.
These hyper-animated, bobble-headed costumes should be fun, approachable, and not scary to children. Having a confusing mascot like this big “R” is distracting for fans.
After 25 years, Rodney the Raven finally got his glow-up in 2009 with a fresh suit, new outfit, and sweet sneakers. Mascots are a big part of school sporting events and the reputation of the team. Mascots need to be recognizable and agile enough to be able to win mascot races at halftime.
Having a large mascot with no clear affiliation with the teams in the Panda Game detracts from the fan experience of Panda Game.
Campus sports teams must do away with ambiguity and bring in figureheads that have a clear purpose in bringing school spirit to the game.
