By snoadmin
Fans at the volleyball match between Cal State Long Beach and the University of California at Santa Barbara tomorrow night will be the first to see mascot Prospector Pete’s new look.
In addition, the first 1,500 fans at the game will receive bobble heads modeled after the revamped Pete. The doors open at 6:30 p.m.
According to Beach Pride Center Coordinator Chance Decker, one of the main reasons for changing Pete’s look was mobility. Decker said the inflatable Pete that has been the mascot model for approximately 10 years had difficulty moving its arms, walking up stairs and making expressions. He said another reason was that Pete tended to scare children because he was so large.
Decker said the new version of Prospector Pete will be smaller and will move around more easily. The inflatable mascot was more than eight feet tall when inflated, while the new version will be about six feet tall, depending on who is wearing the costume. Decker said they would like to have Pete be more visible at CSULB. He said they would like to have Pete on campus more during the day.
Decker said a grant from the Alumni Association funded the mascot makeover and the Beach Pride Center worked with the athletics department on the design. According to Decker, they used both the inflatable mascot design and Prospector Pete renderings around campus as inspiration for the new look.
Pete’s debut comes at an opportune time because the game between CSULB and UCSB’s volleyball teams is likely to draw many fans. Decker said part of the decision to introduce the new mascot tomorrow night was the strong fan base that will show up to see the rival teams compete. He said they also scheduled the event for this game because it allowed plenty of time for the free bobble heads to arrive.
Decker said he likes the new mascot costume because they can give Pete different looks for different events. For example, he can wear a basketball uniform when appearing at a basketball game.
“Look for a lot more to come,” Decker said.
