Benny The Bull: Community Extraordinaire
Today we are going to talk about the most beloved mascot not only in the NBA but in all sports combined! That’s right. Coming in at 6–6ft for your Chicago Bulls. #1. Beeeeeeennnnyyyyyy the Buuuuuuuuuullllll.
Oh yes. I am quite serious about this one, folks. Benny the Bull may not be “real person” but the impact he has on the basketball community is massive. A true icon among all sports mascots. Currently, he has 5.3 million followers on TikTok, 149K subscribers on YouTube, 422K followers on Instagram, and 63.5K followers on Twitter. Now tell me why Benny the Bull doesn’t count as a true individual because these numbers say otherwise. He is dedicated to the fans and each day 24/7 he is bringing the Chicago Bulls community together.
How so?
We are currently in the NBA Preseason games and Benny is providing all the content to keep us updated. Don’t believe me? Watch his TikTok as he collaborates with San Antonio’s mascot The Coyote. He is even providing roster updates for each preseason game. Of course, this can be found on the Chicago Bulls account, but Benny speaks on behalf of the organization. He provides a true face that people can see and talk online with.
One of the cooler things is that Benny has made an impact on NHL mascots. Talk about being a cross sport influencer. Specifically, Gritty is the Philadelphia Flyers’ hockey mascot. He posted a video on TikTok throwing popcorn on the fan. Want to know who started that? BINGO! Benny the Bull did. Gritty gave a shout out to Benny thanking him for inventing popcorn. 709 people like that specific comment. This was awesome because you had Philadelphia and Chicago fans talking in the comments. Lots of Chicago fans were upset because they thought Gritty was stealing Benny’s thunder but once they saw the @Benny, all was forgiven.
In one of his more recent TikTok’s, he collaborated with Indianapolis Colts Mascot, Blue. Just another sport that he is stepping his feet into.
Many of his TikTok’s end up going on Instagram as reels. It is here where he will upload videos with players playing Pop Dart. Essentially, he is asking fans who will win, judge their shots, and who should he play next. This garnered over 23K likes which doesn’t include the comments. Again, he is building engagement but playing a current popular game that fans know. Plus, it’s the first time we get to see the players since the offseason ended and training camp began.
On Twitter Benny engages with the fans. Before the official 2022–2023 schedule was released, the Chicago Bulls asked fans if Benny should be in charge of the release. Of course, Benny replied like what any person thought he would say. “What could go wrong” (222 Likes). Comments flooded in on how Benny could mess it up from putting games on the wrong dates or spilling his popcorn. In all, Benny the Bull knows how to communicate with the fans and luckily the voice he’s established covers all social channels he is on.
If you are ever trying to figure out who should be your spokesperson or oversee community engagement, just ask your team mascot. They are with the fans in person, and they will take that energy they create on the court to all social channels. For me, I follow Benny the Bull on all his social media because he is literally that awesome. His posts are funny, creative, and enjoyable. You feel everyone commenting is your best friend. Making fun of what silly thing he is up to. With the Bulls finishing up their NBA Preseason games, I can’t wait for what a full season of Benny the Bull will look like. I’ll be making sure I have that notification on.
