One NBA mascot is getting paid a ton of money, and some WNBA fans aren’t happy about it.
According to a report from Boardroom. Denver Nuggets mascot Rocky makes $625k a year.
Denver Nuggets mascot Rocky is the highest-paid mascot in the NBA with a $625K annual salary 🤯
Rocky makes 10 times the average salary of an NBA mascot (roughly $60K a year)
(via @boardroom) pic.twitter.com/QewR3RCkDK
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 2, 2022
Rocky the Mountain Lion earns more than 10 times the average pay for professional NBA mascots (around $60k).
(h/t @SBJ) pic.twitter.com/IUodSByGgg
— Boardroom (@boardroom) October 2, 2022
It didn’t take long for some people to point out that an NBA mascot makes much more money than Diana Taurasi, the highest-paid WNBA player.
Rocky, the Denver Nuggets mascot, is the highest-paid mascot in the NBA. Rocky makes $625K/yr.
Diana Taurasi, 3x WNBA champion & 5x Olympic gold medalist, is the highest-paid player in the WNBA. Diana makes $228K/yr.
(c/o @boardroom) pic.twitter.com/JWvaTPgPUk
— GOALS | Women’s Sports (@goals_sports_) October 5, 2022
Of course, people were angry at Rocky’s pay compared to Taurasi.
As much as I love Rocky from the Denver Nuggets and other mascots, this is ridiculous. https://t.co/sFhbpfuEuB
— Joanne O’ Riordan (@JoanneOR_Ox) October 5, 2022
The pay gap between mascots and elite female athletes tells you everything you need to know about how the sports industry values women. https://t.co/YPLsF6JczZ
— Caroline Fitzgerald (@pghcaroline) October 5, 2022
Women deserve more. https://t.co/4vpGsuAHJN
— 🍸 Blondish 🇺🇦🌻 (@V_G_Plus) October 5, 2022
I would say this is unbelievable… but unfortunately, it's completely believable. #InvestInWomen https://t.co/M4Hf75Vyrk
— Kendra G. (she/her/hers) (@kendradee03) October 5, 2022
In case anyone is wondering why we're salty about the pay in the WNBA. (And MLS, and women's sports in general.) https://t.co/avTmZlQmTS
— MsMags Says We Are Coming, Ruth Sent Us (@MsMagsMN) October 5, 2022
Others pointed out that the NBA generates a ton more money than the WNBA.
Hey @goals_sports_ The Denver Nuggets have a yearly revenue of $185M while the whole @WNBA has a revenue of $60M (including $12M subsidy from the NBA). So what's the controversy??? Stop making everything about gender more men support the WNBA than women. https://t.co/yymL0hwI9z
— Thomas Kibwana🇹🇿 (@tkibwana) October 5, 2022
