Excerpt From Character References Newsletter
By Maureen Stroulger

When the NFL season kicked off last year, Denver Broncos fans returned to a new stadium and were welcomed by the Broncos newest star, Miles the Horse. This season, Seattle Seahawks fans were welcomed back by a refurbished Blitz, the Seahawks mascot who was keen to show off his new look.

Both mascots, Miles and Blitz, are Street Characters creations, the company behind many of the football mascots so well known to sporting teams fans. Street Characters provides pro sports mascot costumes to several teams in the NFL.

Miles, who was named after the Broncos' old Mile High Stadium, quickly made an impact on Broncos fans. Joel Darby, mascot coordinator for the Broncos, says Miles' popularity is due to his unique character-he signifies where the team has been and where it's going.

"He's unique among football mascots. His name, even more than other pro sports mascot costumes, represents an important part of the team's past. But being the Broncos' first-ever mascot means Miles also represents an important part of the team's future. The kids love him and they are the football fans, and the mascots, of tomorrow."

Miles is a regular at the Broncos' games but, unlike some football mascots, he also makes time for community promotions. One of his biggest roles is promoting the Broncos' reading program, "Read like a Pro."

Blitz takes on a similar role in Seattle. He is a big advocate of the Seahawk's literacy program "Ready Set Goals!" "Blitz is one of the few football mascots that travels to all the grade schools in Washington to get the kids excited about reading and setting goals," says Garrett Thiemens, the Seahawk's mascot coordinator. This season more than 200 schools signed up for the mascots reading program-a sure sign of Blitz's popularity. It seems some of the best teachers are ones in pro sports mascot costumes. Of course, Blitz can also be seen at every Seahawks' home game.

"The fans are always happy to see Blitz," adds Thiemens, which is why the Seahawks' marketing department keeps him so busy. In the stands, on the sidelines, or dancing with the cheerleaders, Blitz rarely slows down. "He really is a wonderful marketing tool, a great example of what pro sports mascot costumes can contribute to the game," says Thiemens. "He's all over the stadium. He makes the other mascots seem inferior."

Miles and Blitz are just 2 of 8 NFL teams proud to own football mascots by Street Characters Inc. Please check the Street Characters website for more information on pro sports mascot costumes.

Character References is published twice annually by Street Characters Inc., the mascot solutions company.
Phone: 1-888-MASCOTS
Email: info@mascots.com
Glenn Street, Publisher