Philadelphia Flyers is a professional ice hockey team that competes in the National Hockey League as a part of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. They share the Wells Fargo Center with the Philadelphia 76ers (basketball) and the Philadelphia Wings (lacrosse). The Flyers were established in 1967 and were the first expansion team to win the Stanley Cup in 1973-74 and 1974-75.
The Philadelphia Flyers have a good record, they hold eight Conference Championships, 16 Division Championships, and two Stanley Cups. Playing at the Wells Fargo Center since 1996, they have made the playoffs various times. They have their official mascot who has proudly represented the Flyers for quite sometime now.
Philadelphia Flyers Mascot, Gritty -
Gritty, the mascot of the Philadelphia Flyers is a big furry orange creature with funny googly eyes who wears a Flyers jersey. He is about 7 feet in height and was introduced by the team on September 24, 2018. Gritty was designed by Brian Allen and David Raymond. Raymond also created Phillie Phanatic, the Phillies baseball team mascot.
Gritty's History
The Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Rangers were the only two teams in the NHL that did not have any official mascot before the 2018-2019 season. The Flyers had their mascot back in 1976 named SlapShot, but SlapShot never returned afterwards. Some years later, the Washington Capitals introduced their mascot by the name Slapshot in 1995.
Introducing Gritty as an official mascot for the Flyers was an idea of their marketing team seeing the popularity of mascots in the 2016 NHL All-Star Game. To keep their fans engaged and interested, they finally introduced Gritty in August 2018. David Raymond helped in designing the mascot of the Philadelphia Flyers, Gritty.
When Gritty was introduced, the fans had mixed feelings about him. Some people found him a bit scary while others appreciated him. However, with his fun nature, he started getting positive views and became a beloved figure.
Philadelphia residents quickly acknowledged Gritty, seeing him as a symbol of the lively spirit of the city. In just two months after his debut, Gritty gained almost 200,000 followers on Twitter and became a top mascot in votes by the NHL.
Gritty soon became a hero figure in the city, he was featured on the banners at protests in Philadelphia where people protested against Donald Trump during the 2020 election. So, Gritty went from criticism to become a popular and lovely symbol for the people.
Gritty’s Funny Incidents
Like any other mascot, Gritty also entertains his fans on the ice when the Flyers are playing. He often does some funny dance moves, gives high-fives, and makes people laugh. Flyers fans take pictures with him and post them on social media as he is one of the popular mascots on Twitter.
During the pandemic of 2020, Gritty started wearing a face shield for safety. The Public Health Department of Philadelphia used Gritty in a video to spread the message of masks. Gritty appeared in a Family Guy episode in November 2021 and in the sitcom Abbott Elementary's season premiere in September 2022. He was also featured in WWE's Extreme Rules event in October 2022 and on sitcom “It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia” in June 2023.
FAQ's on Philadelphia Flyers mascot, Gritty
A. The Philadelphia Flyers have their official mascot named Gritty.
A. Gritty was introduced in August 2018.
A. David Raymond helped in designing the mascot of the Philadelphia Flyers Gritty.
A.The Flyers had their mascot back in 1976 named SlapShot but it did not continue then, the Washington Capitals introduced their mascot by the name Slapshot in 1995.
A.Yes, Gritty appeared in a Family Guy episode in November 2021 and in the sitcom Abbott Elementary's season premiere in September 2022. He was also featured in WWE's Extreme Rules event in October 2022 and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (season 16) in June 2023.
