He’s been as much a part of the Vikings as Adrian Peterson or Teddy Bridgewater, yet team executives felt they could lower the ax on veteran mascot Ragnar.
Joe Juranitch, the man outfitted as Ragnar for 21 years, was reportedly asking for $20,000 per game, an $18,500 raise from what he had been making. The Vikings wouldn’t budge.
From the L.A. Times:
According to multiple media reports, Juranitch was asking for a 10-year contract that paid him $20,000 a game. That comes out to $1.6 million for eight home games per season, and $2 million if counting preseason games. He had been making about $1,500 a game as an independent contractor.
A dejected Juranitch posted to Facebook on Sunday.
The Vikings have said they will honor Ragnar during a ceremony:
The Vikings greatly appreciate what Ragnar has meant to the organization and to the fans over the last two decades, the team said. We will always consider Ragnar an important part of Vikings history.
