Capital One Announces the 2014 Mascot Challenge Team

New Weekly Social Challenges Give Fans Fun and Creative Ways to Vote for Their Favorite Mascot

MCLEAN, Va., Aug. 18, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Sixteen university icons are preparing to suit up and go beak-to-paw, fruit-to-nut and stinger-to-hoof in the 2014 Capital One Mascot Challenge.  Driven exclusively by fan voting, the last mascot standing will be named the Capital One National Mascot of the Year at the conclusion of college football season.

Sixteen university icons are preparing to suit up and go beak-to-paw, fruit-to-nut and stinger-to-hoof in the 2014 Capital One Mascot Challenge. Driven exclusively by fan voting, the last mascot standing will be named the Capital One National Mascot of the Year at the conclusion of college football season.

This year's team represents eight college conferences and 14 different states, including three defending Capital One Mascot Challenge champions. The 2014 Capital One Mascot Challenge participants include:

  • Aubie of Auburn University
  • Goldy Gopher of University of Minnesota
  • Benny Beaver of Oregon State University
  • Joe Bruin of UCLA
  • Big Red of University of Arkansas - Rookie 
  • Otto the Orange of Syracuse University
  • Big Red of Western Kentucky University
  • Sparty of Michigan State University
  • Brutus Buckeye of Ohio State University
  • Spike of The Citadel - Rookie
  • Buster Bronco of Boise State University
  • Wilma T. Wildcat of The University of Arizona
  • Buzz of Georgia Tech - 2014 Write-In Winner
  • Zippy of The University of Akron - 2007 Winner
  • Cocky of University of South Carolina - 2003 Winner

  • Cy of Iowa State University - 2008 Winner

This year's voting structure provides fans three ways to catapult their mascot to victory. By clicking "vote now," fans earn one (1) point for their mascot. To go even further in expressing their enthusiasm, fans can complete weekly 50-point and/or 100-point challenges by posting clever entries on Twitter or Facebook using their mascot's unique hashtag.  Voting opens Monday, August 25, 2014 at 12:00AM EDT and will continue weekly through Sunday, December 7, 2014.  Fans can visit www.CapitalOneMascots.com for all voting information as well as engage with the mascots and other fans at www.Facebook.com/CapitalOne and www.Twitter.com/CapitalOne.

"With the excitement around the start of the college football season at a fevered pitch, the Capital One Mascot Challenge is a way for fans to show their support for their favorite mascots each week," said Marc Mentry, Senior Vice President of Brand Marketing at Capital One. "The engagement from fans in the Mascot Challenge has continued to grow each year, and it will only intensify in 2014 as fans rally in support of their mascot. With so many well-known mascots in the field this year, we expect to see very creative entries from fans."

Capital One has once again partnered with college football expert prognosticator Phil Steele (www.PhilSteele.com) to determine which mascots have the best chance to win the competition. Throughout the Mascot Challenge, he will reveal his weekly mascot power rankings and odds to win the overall competition to further spur the debate among the mascot fan bases. 

The Capital One National Mascot of the Year will be crowned at the end of the college football season. The winning school will be awarded a $20,000 scholarship toward its mascot program. Each participating Capital One All-America mascot's school will also receive $5,000 for their respective mascot program.

Fans that do not see their favorite mascot in the program this year are encouraged to log on to www.CapitalOneMascots.com and nominate their school's mascot for a chance to be a part of the 2015 Capital One Mascot Challenge.

About Capital One

Capital One Financial Corporation (www.capitalone.com) is a financial holding company whose subsidiaries, which include Capital One, N.A., and Capital One Bank (USA), N. A., had $205.9 billion in deposits and $298.3 billion in total assets as of June 30, 2014. Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, Capital One offers a broad spectrum of financial products and services to consumers, small businesses and commercial clients through a variety of channels. Capital One, N.A. has approximately 900 branch locations primarily in New York, New Jersey, Texas, Louisiana, Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. A Fortune 500 company, Capital One trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "COF" and is included in the S&P 100 index.

Capital One, an NCAA Corporate Champion, began its affiliation with college sports with the sponsorship of the 2001 Capital One Florida Citrus Bowl (now the Capital One Bowl) and ESPN's Capital One Bowl Week. In addition, Capital One sponsors the ABC College Football Halftime Report, Capital One All-America Mascot team, Capital One Academic All-America Program, and supports all 89 NCAA Championships including the Division I Men's and Women's Basketball Championships, and numerous other collegiate athletics programs.

NCAA is a trademark owned or licensed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.  All other licenses or trademarks are property of their respective holders.

Contact:
Patrick Mendoza
972-372-7032
Patrick.Mendoza@capitalone.com

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140817/136738

SOURCE Capital One Financial Corporation