Mascot costumes aren't cheap. Butler has two anthropomorphic bulldog costumes. The cost of each runs $13,000. So, you can imagine if they were to be lost or stolen, the small Indiana school would really do what it could to recover them rather than shell out the money for new ones. Well, it looks like foul play.
Butler recently sent out an e-mail to students asking for help in recovering the costumes, which cost about $13,000.
The costumes were last seen last month, when a student dropped them off at Hinkle Fieldhouse, said university spokeswoman Courtney Tuell. School officials said they believe the canine costumes were stolen, not just misplaced.
How did they manage to let both be stolen? If they were concerned enough to have two costumes, you would think they would try to keep them in separate locations in case of theft.
They have offered a reward, but at only $100 that seems quite cheap. That's not even 1/100th of the replacement cost. $1000 would seem like a better starting point.
Butler, in fact, seems resigned to not getting the costumes back since they ordered a new one. The problem is that it will take until November before it is ready. That's tolerable for the football season since Blue II -- the live bulldog mascot is still around.
When basketball season comes, however, no one really wants to have a live bulldog on the court. At least not with out some rubber gloves and a mop handy.
