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As it turns out, you can get paid quite a bit in Phoenix for monkeying around.
A recent analysis by GamblingSites.com listed Go the Gorilla — the Phoenix Suns’ famed and decidedly-not-cartoonish primate mascot — as the sixth-highest-paid in all of professional sports. Per the site, being the gorilla pays $200,000 a year. Just think of all the bananas that kind of dough can buy.
That salary has been widely reported for many years, though it’s unclear whether it’s up to date. Suns spokesperson Stacey Mitch declined to comment on or confirm the gorilla’s reported salary. Go himself could not be reached for comment.
That said, a former pro sports mascot with more than a dozen years of experience in the industry — speaking on the condition of anonymity to preserve the mascot code of silence — told Phoenix New Times that as of at least five years ago, the $200,000 figure was correct.
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“It used to be true before COVID. I’m not sure now — post-COVID things changed,” the anonymous former mascot said, adding that the person behind the gorilla mask retired during the pandemic. “The gorilla has always historically been one of the highest-paid mascots in the country.”
The gorilla’s origins are hilariously random, according to the NBA. A messenger for a singing telegram service who appeared at a game in 1980 decided to show up dressed in a gorilla costume, and when security guards suggested he do some dances on court, fans in attendance were apparently tickled. The messenger kept coming back to follow the routine until being invited to officially join the organization.
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The Suns’ accidental mascot has since become a household name across professional sports, as Go’s high-energy antics and impressive acrobatics (which include dunking off a trampoline) have earned the ape well-deserved recognition. In 2005, Go was one of the inaugural inductees in the Mascot Hall of Fame, which includes 38 mascots from professional and college sports.
Only five mascots reportedly make more than Go, according to the analysis:
- Rocky the Mountain Lion (Denver Nuggets) – a jaw-dropping $625,000
- Harry the Hawk (Atlanta Hawks) – $600,000
- Benny the Bull (Chicago Bulls) – $400,000
- Gritty (Philadelphia Flyers) – $250,000
- Wally the Green Monster (Boston Red Sox) – $250,000
The Phillie Phanatic, considered the original team mascot and one of the most iconic of all time, also makes $200,000, tied with the gorilla for the sixth spot on the list.
The former mascot told New Times that across the industry, there is a wide variation in mascot pay.
“The NBA has historically paid the best, whereas the NFL is a little harder because you only get like 10 games a year. Major League Baseball is good if you’re in the right markets,” the mascot said, noting that while some are on full salaries, others can be paid on hourly appearance fees, bonus structures or commission structures. “Mascots can make $60,000 to $80,000 in some markets, or they can make $200,000 to $300,000 in other markets.”
Go the Gorilla’s $200,000 annual salary does make him one of the most handsomely paid apes in the world — but not quite the top-paid. The four members of Gorillaz — 2-D, Murdoc Niccals, Noodle, and Russel Hobbs — reportedly earn about $1.5 million monthly. Hollywood’s Crystal the Monkey, depending on the year, likely earns more from starring in movies like “The Hangover” and “Night at the Museum.”
