Sparky the Sun Devil has long been an emblem of game day culture, exciting football crowds and interacting with fans across every sport at ASU.
In recent years, additions to Sparky's wardrobe, as well as contributions from students who bring the mascot to life, have allowed Sparky to represent a greater part of ASU's community.
The core of Sparky's imaging has long conformed to certain tenets of his personality that each student is expected to embody once they put on the mask. These traits include Sparky's image as a prankster, a ladies' man and an athlete.
"The idea is that each student can have their own major, own personality, own background, but they have to fit the mold of the character of Sparky once they're in the suit," Talen Osborn, a former Sparky and current mascot coordinator, said. "That way, Sparky is not changing or going through iterations."
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While Sparky's personality might not change, his outfits certainly do. A large variety of jerseys and t-shirts for every sport make up a portion of the mascot's wardrobe that allows him to represent more than just ASU football.
"If Sparky's at a game, he's looking like the players, too," Sydney Lindon-Lake, a Sun Devil Athletics social media intern, said. "He has matching jerseys with them. He wears the same colors."
Having a variety of outfits and events to attend allows for greater connection between Sparky and the students who choose to play his character.
"The outfits are a way for the people underneath the costume to add their own personal flair while all representing and keeping in line with the idea that Sparky is here to represent us all, not just one thing," Jason Miller, senior director of creative and brand strategy, said.
For some students, this might look like leaning into Sparky's lighthearted prankster persona.
Sparky could be seen wearing a toga during football games against the USC Trojans or playing pranks against UA's Wilbur and Wilma Wildcats. These personality and costuming choices humanize Sparky and allow him not to be just a symbol of ASU but an emblem of its students.
"Sparky is also seen as an everyday student," Lindon-Lake said. "He's just like everyone else."
It is these everyday students who are in the Sparky costume, bringing energy, passion and life to Sparky the Sun Devil.
Individuals like Osborn, Miller and those who work with the mascot behind the scenes welcome students' creative and novel ideas for how Sparky might better represent the ASU community.
"The pride that (students) take in it on having their own unique signature, on being representative of the student body (and) being representative of the University is unparalleled," Miller said.
Like other mascots, Sparky the Sun Devil does not speak. Yet, students are able to utilize his costume, expressions and their own creativity to make fans and the community "feel like, if Sparky had a voice, it would sound a certain way," Miller said.
As Osborn said, Sparky will always strive to be "the coolest guy in the room." However, between sporting a retro letterman jacket for homecoming and donning a Santa suit for the holidays, Sparky has proven how close he is and wants to remain to the community he represents.
Neither his suit nor his personality will change in the near future, but Sparky will continue to be a classic symbol of ASU by growing with students every year while staying iconic along the way.
"Everyone knows who he is, but his look and feel is uniquely him," Miller said. "You can't look at Sparky and see anybody else."
Edited by Niall Rosenberg, Henry Smardo and Ellis Preston.
Reach the reporter at bcsmit41@asu.edu.
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Brooklyn Smith is a sports reporter for The State Press and an English student at ASU. She is in her 1st semester with The State Press.
