How much money does Rocky, the mascot of the Denver Nuggets, make a year?
The Nuggets are engulfed in a battle with the Los Angeles Lakers for the conference finals in the NBA.
Team mascots earn a decent living, but their salaries are significantly lower than those of the players. The job typically involves dancing, entertaining the audience with humor during games, and making appearances at team-related functions.
Boardroom TV, a media network co-founded by Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman, reports that the average annual salary for a professional mascot is approximately $60,000.
But how much does Rocky from the Nuggets make a year?
Rocky the Mountain Lion, who represents the Denver Nuggets, earns an annual salary of $625,000, making him the highest-paid mascot. This figure exceeds the job’s median salary by a factor of ten.
Rocky the Mountain Lion earns more than 10 times the average pay for professional NBA mascots (around $60k).
— Boardroom (@boardroom) October 2, 2022
(h/t @SBJ) pic.twitter.com/IUodSByGgg
As per the Sports Business Journal, Rocky’s hourly rental rates are $750, with a reduced rate of $500 for corporate partners. Having Rocky attend a birthday party costs $400 for a 30-minute visit or $750 for a one-hour visit.
The affordable means of coming across Rocky is through an in-game visit, priced at $135 for season pass holders and $150 for non-pass holders. The mentioned rates encompass expenses beyond the performer’s earnings.