Mascot Hall of Fame

{{Short description|Hall of fame for North American sports mascots}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}

{{Infobox

| above = Mascot Hall of Fame

| abovestyle = background-color: #860047; color: white

| subheader =

| image1 = 100x110px

| caption1 =

| headerstyle = background-color: #860047

| label2 = Established

| data2 = 2005

| label4 = Location

| data4 = Online

| label5 = Founder

| data5 = David Raymond

| label6 = Inductees

| data6 = 33
(11 college; 22 professional)

| label7 = Websites

| data7 = [http://www.mascothalloffame.com/ mascothalloffame.com]

}}

The Mascot Hall of Fame was an interactive children's museum for sports mascots between 2018 and 2024. It was founded by David Raymond, who was the original Phillie Phanatic from 1978 to 1993.

Each year (beginning in 2005), mascots are elected into the Mascot Hall of Fame by the voting membership and an executive committee made up of performers, sports executives, and other individuals intimate with the mascot community. The mascots go through a nomination process that ends with the executive committee selecting six finalist in each category to be placed on the ballot for consideration. There is a public online vote that contributes a percentage of the final tally. In 2006, the Hall added a separate class to honor college mascots.{{citation needed|date=August 2023}}

To be eligible for the Mascot Hall of Fame, a mascot must have existed for a minimum of 10 years. They must also impact both their sport and community, inspire their fans, and consistently give memorable and groundbreaking performances.{{citation needed|date=August 2023}}

It was founded as an online-only hall, with an induction ceremony taking place each year in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. However, in September 2014, Raymond's mascot company signed a memorandum of understanding with the City of Whiting, Indiana, to develop a permanent Mascot Hall of Fame on the south shore of Lake Michigan.{{cite web| url = http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/whiting/whiting-set-to-ok-mascot-hall/article_0a571222-ce54-509e-8aaf-951f161210ba.html| title = Whiting Set to OK Mascot Hall| access-date = 2014-09-26}}{{cite web| url = http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/whiting/wacky-brilliant-mascot-hall-of-fame-coming-to-whiting/article_76bc98d6-a140-5e84-b7c2-35b17aaf525e.html| title = 'Wacky, brilliant' Mascot Hall of Fame coming to Whiting| access-date = 2014-10-08}} The educational, STEAM based, fully interactive museum opened December 26, 2018.{{cite news|first=Philip|last=Potempa|title=Mascot Hall of Fame Opens in Whiting|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2018/12/26/mascot-hall-of-fame-opens-in-whiting/|work=Post-Tribune|date=December 26, 2018|access-date=August 8, 2024}} On July 22, 2024, the hall of fame announced that the Whiting, Indiana museum would close on September 14, 2024. In addition, the organization will continue online and are actively searching for a new location to host the museum.{{cite news|first=Mike|last=Potter|title=Mascot Hall of Fame permanently closing in Indiana|url=https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/grand-furnale-indianas-mascot-hall-of-fame-is-closing-whiting-boomer-blue-indiana-september-14-museum-celebration/531-7d09dca3-7a57-4cc1-90fe-60981ca18bf3|website=wthr.com|date=July 23, 2024|access-date=August 8, 2024}}