Move over Touchdown Monkey.
The Indianapolis Colts’ Blue holds the top spot in a new ranking of estimated mascot Instagram earnings. But the Philadelphia Flyers’ Gritty is making the race much closer.
According to research supplied by SeatPick, Blue could generate about $1.71 million annually if his account published one paid post every day at its estimated rate. Gritty ranks second at roughly $1.52 million after his Instagram following increased 78.1% over the past year.
The study compares NFL mascots, NBA mascots, NHL mascots and MLB mascots using follower counts, engagement data and estimated earnings per post. Its figures measure possible earning power, not money the accounts have actually collected.
Top 10 Mascots by Estimated Instagram Earnings
Blue, the Indianapolis Colts’ mascot, ranks first in SeatPick’s 2026 research with 981,358 Instagram followers and estimated annual earnings of $1,708,565. That's an estimated value of $4,681 per post.
Gritty of the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers follows in second place with 870,703 followers and estimated annual earnings of $1,515,845. Gritty lands an estimated $4,153 per post.
The Chicago Bulls’ Benny the Bull leads all NBA mascots and places third overall, with 567,382 followers and estimated annual earnings of $987,690.
Two NFL mascots complete the top five. The Los Angeles Rams’ Rampage ranks fourth with 492,171 followers and estimated annual earnings of $856,655. The Houston Texans’ Toro takes fifth with 405,280 followers and an estimated $705,545 annually.
The Philadelphia Phillies’ Phillie Phanatic leads MLB mascots in sixth place, with 268,333 followers and estimated annual earnings of $472,675. The Seattle Seahawks’ Blitz ranks seventh with 191,500 followers and an estimated $333,245 annually, followed by the Atlanta Braves’ Blooper in eighth with 147,870 followers and estimated annual earnings of $258,055.
The San Antonio Spurs’ Coyote places ninth with 128,163 followers and estimated annual earnings of $236,885. The Dallas Cowboys’ Rowdy rounds out the top 10 with 90,969 followers and an estimated $210,970 annually.
According to SeatPick’s supplied research, these annual estimates equal each mascot’s estimated earnings per post multiplied by 365. They assume one paid Instagram post every day and reflect potential earning power—not verified revenue or the salary of the person performing as the mascot.
NFL Mascots Take Five of the Top 10 Spots
NFL mascots account for half of the top 10, with Blue, Rampage, Toro, Blitz and Rowdy all making the list.
Blue’s following increased 23.3% from the previous year. His estimated annual earning potential rose by a similar amount, up 23.2%.
However, his audience growth came alongside a sharp decline in average likes per post, which fell 82.9% to 3,338. That contrast matters: an account can attract more followers while receiving fewer likes on its average post.
The Rams’ Rampage ranks fourth overall with an estimated annual value of $856,655. The Texans’ Toro follows in fifth at $705,545.
Further down the list, the Seahawks’ Blitz posted strong gains. His following grew 53.5% to 191,500, helping him move from eighth to seventh and pass the Atlanta Braves’ Blooper. Blitz’s average likes per post also increased 164.2%.
The Cowboys’ Rowdy rounds out the top 10 with estimated annual earnings of $210,970.
NHL Mascots: Gritty Becomes Blue’s Closest Challenger
Gritty is the only representative of NHL mascots in the top 10—and the ranking’s fastest-growing account by follower percentage.
His audience climbed from 488,907 to 870,703, a gain of 78.1%. That pushed him from third to second place and raised his estimated annual earning potential by 77.2%.
Gritty mascot now trails Blue by 110,655 followers. In the previous year’s figures, the gap exceeded 300,000.
Still, Gritty’s growth does not guarantee he will take the lead. His average likes per post declined 66.4% to 8,324, even as his follower count surged. Future rankings will depend on how both accounts perform, not simply whether last year’s growth continues.
NBA Mascots: Benny the Bull Slips to Third
Benny the Bull remains the highest-ranked of the NBA mascots in the study, but he falls from second to third overall.
The Chicago Bulls mascot has 567,382 followers, down 2.0% from the previous year. He is the only mascot in the top 10 whose following declined.
His estimated annual Instagram earnings also fell 2.0%, bringing the total to $987,690—just below the $1 million mark.
The San Antonio Spurs’ Coyote ranks ninth overall at $236,885. While his audience is smaller, his engagement figures stand out. Coyote averages 15,460 likes per post, up 625.1% from the previous year.
That places him close to the top of this group for average likes, despite having fewer followers than eight of the other accounts.
MLB Mascots: Phillie Phanatic Leads Baseball’s Entries
The Phillie Phanatic is the highest-ranked of the MLB mascots, placing sixth overall with estimated annual earnings of $472,675.
The Philadelphia Phillies mascot has 268,333 followers and averages 15,760 likes per post—the highest average among the 10 listed accounts.
Atlanta’s Blooper ranks eighth with 147,870 followers and estimated annual earnings of $258,055. His following grew 5.1%, while average likes per post increased 93.3%.
Together, the two baseball mascots show why follower totals tell only part of the story. Both rank below several larger accounts in audience size, but their posts draw substantial engagement within this group.
What the Mascot Earnings Estimates Really Mean
SeatPick, a ticket comparison platform, supplied the research as an update to its 2025 mascot study.
According to the supplied methodology, researchers used influencer marketing tools to estimate post values based on audience and engagement data. They then multiplied those values by 365 to calculate annual earning potential.
That approach has an important limit: it assumes an account could secure a paid post every day at the estimated rate. The supplied material does not establish that any mascot has that level of sponsorship demand or receives those payments.
These figures also should not be confused with the salary of the person performing as the mascot.
For fans, the study offers a snapshot of how these sports characters compare as online personalities. Blue still leads on estimated earning power, while Gritty’s rapid audience growth has made him the closest challenger in the 2026 ranking.
