Have you ever wondered how much it would cost for your kid to be a Premier League Mascot? Or how easy it is as a Nigerian for your kid to be a mascot? For most Premier League Clubs your child would need to join a supporter club as a 'junior member'. Arsenal, for example, charge a yearly fee of £25 (₦11,550). Mascots are then chosen at random from the pool of Junior Gunners to be a match day mascot. Therefore, unless you live in the UK or are wealthy enough to fly your child to the UK at short notice in time for a match, it's not easy!

What about costs? See below how much your football club would charge for your kid to be a mascot:



West Ham United £700 (₦320,000)

Leicester City £600 (₦275,000)

Tottenham Hotspur £405 (₦185,000)

Wolves £395 (₦180,000)

Crystal Palace £375 (₦175,000)

Brighton £350 (₦160,000)

Burnley £300 (₦140,000)

Fulham £270 (₦125,000)

Cardiff City £255 (₦118,000)

Watford £250 (₦115,000)

Bournemouth £185 (₦85,000)

FREE:

Arsenal, Everton, Chelsea, Huddersfield, Liverpool, Man City, Man United, Newcastle United and Southampton.

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Meanwhile, in the Championship (English second tier), Swansea City Football Club are getting panned in the media for charging a whopping £478 (₦221,000) for a kid to be a mascot with them:


Only three teams in the Premier League charge more, while the experience is free at most of the top clubs. Cardiff City charge £255.

Swansea City said prices were reduced this year following relegation.

Consumer groups have branded the higher prices as "outrageous".

For many youngsters, the chance to walk out onto the pitch with their football heroes is a dream come true.

Indeed many clubs tell parents the package is the "ultimate gift your child will never forget".

Yet while many of the biggest clubs in the country, including Premier League champions Manchester City, do not charge for the opportunity, others are cashing in more than £700 per child.

Most packages include full kit, match tickets, photographs and autographs as well as walking onto the pitch before kick-off.

But a £270 deal at Fulham does not include kit while a £185 package at Bournemouth does not come with a ticket to the game.

Martyn James, of consumer website Resolver, said: "It's absolutely outrageous that some richer kids can effectively buy their way to the top of the mascot list.

"When I was younger, being a mascot was a reward for super loyalty or for having been through a great deal.

"Charging any money for these packages is unacceptable - and it's pretty unknown too.

"It makes a mockery of all the things that our national game is supposed to represent."

Supporters on fan forums have slammed the prices as "unfair" and "scandalous".

Swansea City said the "truly once in a lifetime experience" includes four hospitality places, a meal and half-time penalty competition on the pitch.

A spokesman added: "We've reduced prices this year following relegation, from £450 plus VAT to £399 plus VAT for weekend, and £349 plus VAT for weekday matches.

"We also give one space free to charity every match and this was brought in this season."

Mascots at the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United are picked at random from their junior fan club and are free.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-46526716

Madness!

The prices is way too high!

Imagine a club like West ham that can't remember when last they played a cup final charging that outrageous amount!


Everything shades of wrong jor!

decatalyst:
Madness!

The prices is way too high!

Imagine a club like West ham that can't remember when last they played a cup final charging that outrageous amount!


Everything shades of wrong jor!

The crazy thing is there is obviously a market for it. EPL is lucky to have a massive fan base among all the clubs, so West Ham clearly can rely on a lot of rich parents to pay for it.

I know, it makes no sense how clubs can charge that kind of money. At least the big ones are setting an example and giving it away for free.