Premier League: How much does it cost to be a mascot? | OneFootball

The cost of being a mascot in the Premier League this season has been revealed, according to research conducted by the Daily Mail.

Premier League mascots have been the talk of the division this week after a video published on Arsenal’s social media channels went viral for all the wrong reasons.

A young fan was stood outside the changing rooms as Arsenal players arrived at the London Stadium for their match against West Ham, with players signing the shirt she was holding but barely acknowledging her otherwise.

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Fan backlash then followed, with some unimpressed by the footage.

TalkSPORT host and Arsenal fan Laura Woods contacted the club, who had to explain that it was just one part of the matchday experience for the young fan.

The mascot’s dad even had to weigh in on Twitter, stating that his daughter had a lovely time in what was, “a small window” to meet the players.

And recently, footage from inside the tunnel emerged which showed the players meeting the mascots before the game, including the young girl who appeared to have a nice chat with Arsenal skipper Martin Odegaard.

What does it cost to be a mascot in the Premier League?

It has not been a quiet last few days for Arsenal from a public relations perspective.

But to their credit, the club come off a bit better in this latest list which reveals the cost to be a mascot on a top-flight matchday.

The Mail recently shared its findings on the cost of the once-in-a-lifetime experience, building on the previous list that they published in 2019.

Nottingham Forest and Newcastle failed to respond to their question - although the Magpies did not charge their mascots in 2019 - but the other 18 sides did.

And 12, including Arsenal, charge absolutely nothing to walk out with the players.

For the remaining six though, some of the prices are truly eye-watering.

You can see the full list below:

Aston Villa - £500

Wolves - £450

Brighton - £375

Crystal Palace - £375

West Ham - £375

Bournemouth - £300

Arsenal, Brentford, Chelsea, Everton, Fulham, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Man City, Man United, Southampton, Tottenham – Free

Arsenal, like the rest of the big six, charges absolutely nothing to be a mascot for matches.

The most commendable of the clubs here, however, is arguably Spurs, who have slashed their prices from £405 in 2019 to absolutely nothing.

The other club to have completely scrapped their mascot fee is Leicester City, who previously charged a huge £600.

It is not easy to secure a place alongside some of the biggest players in the division though, with several teams including Chelsea and both Manchester clubs randomly selecting mascots from their junior member and junior season ticket holder lists.

And Chelsea even revealed that there is a four-year waiting list to be a mascot.

Another notable change occurred in east London, with West Ham slashing their mascot costs.

The cost to walk out at the London Stadium had been £700 in 2019, but the club now charge £375 to line up alongside the players.

That’s still a big price to pay, but with a reduction of nearly 50%, the wallets of parents will feel slightly healthier than they did four years ago.

Expensive packages with all the perks

The report also details some of the luxuries that you are afforded by spending such big sums of money to represent one of the six clubs that charge.

For example, Aston Villa will give you a full home or away kit to take home, a player meet and greet, a shout-out on Twitter, and more treats as well.

Wolves' package is only £50 cheaper but offers a similar range of perks at Molineux, including two adult and two junior tickets to sit in "premium view seating" and access to the hospitality lounges.

And Brighton, to their credit, also offer two free places at every home game to junior season ticket holders and members, as well as pay packages which range between £225-375.

It’s still a big sum of money to pay, but it will certainly be something that those who make the walk with the players will remember for the rest of their lives.