The Calgarian behind top NFL, NHL mascots
Glenn Street designed Pat the Patriot, Harvey the Hound and hundreds more
by Steve MacLeod
This weekend, just like last, Glenn Street’s work will be displayed on national television. Although a few more eyes were probably tuned in to watch the New England Patriots play in Super Bowl XLVI last Sunday, the Calgary Flames game on Hockey Night in Canada this Saturday has a bit more history for Street.
The Flames mascot (Harvey the Hound) and the Patriots mascot (Pat the Patriot) are both creations of Street’s Calgary company, Street Characters Inc. More than 20 years ago, Harvey the Hound was the first mascot in the NHL and Street was the man in the suit. Other NHL teams soon approached Street to create mascots for their clubs and he obliged, but Street wasn’t just interested in creating concepts.
Street knew what aspects of designing and manufacturing a costume would affect a mascot’s performance and he knew costumes weren’t easy to find. From his work as a mascot, Street also knew the routines and stunts that enlivened crowds, so when he founded Street Characters in 1987 to design and manufacture mascot costumes, he also offered mascot training.
Street Characters has since designed mascots for 12 other NFL teams, 10 other NHL teams, eight Major League Baseball teams, five Canadian Football League teams, hundreds of university mascots in the U.S. and hundreds of corporate mascots.
It’s proof that if you can find a niche market, and fill that niche better than anyone else, opportunities could open up all over the world.
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