Staff of Calgary’s Street Characters will gather on Sunday as their work appears at one of the world’s most-watched events.
“Super Bowl Sunday, we’re hoping to all gather here as a team and have a party and watch the game,” said Rob Hayward, prop maker with Street Characters.
When the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots face off in Minneapolis for Super Bowl LII, both sidelines will have a connection to Calgary as both mascots, Swoop and Pat Patriot, were designed by Street Characters.
The company has been creating elaborate costumes for decades and has clients around the world including professional sports teams. The artists are thrilled to know their work will be seen by hundreds of millions of viewers.
Hayward, a self-described sports nut, has contributed to the Calgary Hitmen’s Farley the Fox, the Calgary Stampeders’ Ralph the Dog and Sparky, the dragon mascot of his beloved New York Islanders. Seeing Pat Patriot, who he helped design, on Sunday will be a special moment.
“Local sports teams, it just pumps me up. To be able to have mascots that are in the Super Bowl, it just takes it to another level,” said Hayward. “Pat Patriot came to me last year. They wanted a new head built so I got the opportunity to work on him.”
Kent Andersson, Street Characters’ production manager, credits the performers within the costume for bringing the mascots to life.
“It’s not they’re bouncing around,” said Andersson. “They’re really aware of what they’re doing to catch the crowd and entertain them.”
Hayward and Andersson look forward to seeing Pat Patriot and Swoop on the Super Bowl sidelines on Sunday afternoon but both admit they will be cheering for the Patriots in the big game.
With files from CTV's Stephanie Wiebe
