There is one fan favorite at every Seton Hall basketball game who never seems to have an off night. He is not in the starting lineup, or even on the bench, but he still brings energy every time he steps on the court.
He is the Pirate.
Seton Hall’s mascot has officially signed a $1 million NIL deal with the university. Known for hyping the crowd and keeping fans engaged during timeouts, the Pirate said the moment was well-earned.
“There is a lot that goes into what I do. It is not as easy as it looks,” the Pirate told The Setonian. “I am at every game, I bring the juice, and I help create one of the best atmospheres in the BIG EAST. I feel like I earned this, and I am thankful to Seton Hall for giving me this opportunity.”
The deal adds a new layer to the NIL era in college sports. As athletes continue to secure deals through sponsorships and branding, the Pirates’ contract stands out as one of the most unique in college sports.
Now that he is bringing in a major paycheck, the Pirate said fans should expect even more from him moving forward. He hinted at bigger stunts, more crowd involvement and new appearances not just at games but across campus.
“With this kind of support, I can take things to another level,” the Pirate said. “Students and fans should be ready. I have a lot planned.”
Fans at the Prudential Center have come to expect big moments from the Pirate.
Whether it is dancing on the court, waving flags or getting the crowd involved during key stretches, the mascot has become a key part of the game-day experience.
Without him, games wouldn’t be the same.
“The Pirate always shows up,” one student said. “Now he is getting paid like it too.”
Some students even joked that the Pirate might now be the highest-paid “player” in the building.
“If the Pirate is getting a million, we might need to check the roster next,” another student said.
As NIL continues to grow across college athletics, the Pirates’ deal shows how valuable energy and entertainment can be to a program. One thing that won’t change is that night in and night out, the Pirate will deliver for SHU.
Jaden Highsmith is the assistant editor for The Setonian’s Sports section. He can be reached at jaden.highsmith@student.shu.edu.
