I get questions from young mascots (being an old mascot) about how to get jobs, what’s open, and how to improve. My standard answers usually include getting as much experience as you can, connecting with other mascots, and developing a unique character. It’s that last piece of advice that needs more explanation.

A lot of mascots are just that….mascots. You can trade one for the next, skits can be used by any of them since they are all acting out as a crazy guy in a suit who can “get away with stuff”. That’s being a mascot for many. To be a good mascot you need to have a unique character to guide your actions and reactions….and when trying to get a job it’s what will seperate you from the competition.

For example: When you watch Seinfeld, there are 4 main characters. They are all identifiable and unique. The physical comedy that works for Kramer can’t simply be handed to George’s character and still work (it may, but it would be for different reasons). So a skit for Kramer’s character is different than one for George, since they are different characters….and along those same lines, a skit for one mascot would be different (or should be) different for another. If you are unique. Of course many skits use a basic premise you can work your character into, but that’s another blog post.

Thankfully you don’t have to listen to me, since Big Bird says it better. In his Book “The Wisdom of Big Bird” there are many examples of how Caroll Spinnney developed a character around Big Bird….which explained how he thought, acted and reacted. Every great mascot has also completed this process (consciously or subconsciously). It’s what separates The Phoenix Suns Gorilla from the guy dressed as a gorilla a the car wash (that, and the smell of car freshener).

If you are a young mascot or you want your mascot to continue to develop a more defined character (i.e. you want your mascot to improve) I highly recommend this book. That aside, the book is funny, interesting and inspiring as well. It also includes countless fun anecdotes about Seseme Street….a quick and enlightening read.

Get in character and enjoy.

-Cudo

The new Gameops.com Promotion Database is getting great reviews from our readers, which has been really exciting.  In fact, a few of you have sent in your promotions to add to the database (which we encourage).  This one was fun:

I wanted to share with gameops.com an “utterly” ridiculous promotion that was a hit for the Syracuse SkyChiefs, now the Chiefs, last season.  The contest was the Upstate Farms Intense Milk Race.  We bought three cow costumes, painted one pink and one brown and left one white giving us Vanilla Milk, Chocolate Milk and Strawberry Milk. 

Each night three interns dressed in the costumes and ran around the arc of the infield representing a lucky fan in the stands, who would win a prize pack from the sponsor if his cow won.  Basically a spin-off of the Sausage Race in Milwaukee.  It took some time to get used to but fans really enjoyed the promotion.

The database now has 544 promotions, and a new counter to track our total numbers.  You can always send your promotion/contests to us (use the link at the Promotion database or you can comment here at the blog).

-Cudo

The Bakersfield Condors of the ECHL have an official myspace page to promote game dates, share information about the team, and interact directly with young fans.

Update News: We have a unique update to start 2007, straying briefly from our standard update. First we have launched a promotion database with over 500 idea, promotions, contests in an easy to search database. We have also created a new CORE product section of the site to highlight products we feel we do better than anyone, starting this month with Rally Towels. Finally we have many updates across the site, including new acts, price reductions in the store and of course our twice-a-week blog.

The Promotion Database is very exciting, it takes Gameops.com from a static list to a dynamic searchable database.  It also allows us to (finally) add to our promotions.  For over a year we have not updated the promotion lists, since we knew this update was on the way.  The new database allows us to quickly add promotions each week….and we will.  We have jumped from 300 promotions (as of last month) to 538 (as of today) promotions in a searchable database.  We expect that number to grow, since it’s easier than ever to update and add.

I want to thank the pros over at Alpha Multimedia for all their help getting this up and running.  A database like this is way beyond my programming ability, so it took some pros to get it working.  Also, thanks to our loyal advertisers for their support….the revenue from our advertisers is often poured right back into the site to make it better and better.  You can visit our advertisers here:

• Raymond Entertainment Group
• Game Ops Commander
• FX in Motion
• Zooperstars
• MacLean Sports
• AMS (the smart web guys)

We also introduce a new CORE product category.  These are sports premiums that we do better than anyone (in our humble opinion).  The first such product is the rally towel.   Our TEAMmate Sales Manager Isaac Wood has spend several months research options and finding the best options and pricing.  We are excited to offer our expertise to our readers. See the new Rally Towel Core Product page.

We have also added several new acts to the Yellow Pages and over 20 new vendors to our Vendor White Pages.  Gameops.com is the best place to find all the latest acts and vendors.  Vendor Pages / Act Pages.

Thanks for visiting and for your loyal support.  We hope you enjoy the new tools.

-Cudo

The Lake Elsinore Storm and the High Desert Mavericks held a Tom Cruise-themed evening of giveaways and fun.

Besides giving away a Cruise bobblehead — make that a “bobble-couch,” depicting the star in full Oprah couch-jumping mode — the San Diego Padres’ Class-A affiliate celebrated the “silent birth” of Tom and Katie Holmes’ baby, Suri, with a “silent inning,” during which no batters will be announced and no music played. “Silent birth,” a Church of Scientology teaching, specifies no music and no talking during the birth.

Other planned activities include a couch-jumping contest, a Scientology information and sign-up booth and a retrospective of Cruise’s movie career.

Just catching up on some minor league baseball promotions from 2006….I wasn’t sure on this since it seemed to infringe a bit on religion, which can be sensitive.  I can’t imagine that the “sign up for Scientology booth was real, and if so that’s more bizarre than Tom’s Couch Jumping.

Back to religion….if this is okay, what’s next….this?

-Cudo