HOUSTON – The Houston Texans have been named the winner of Best on Instagram at the 8th Annual Hashtag Sports Awards for "The Running of the Bull: How the Houston Texans' Mascot TORO Dominated Sports Social in 2025".
The award-winning campaign was built to prove that a mascot can perform like a premier sports and entertainment social brand and not simply exist as a supporting character. The strategy focused on creating content built for organic sharing, repeat viewing, and sustained engagement. It was designed to resonate not only with Texans fans, but with broader sports and entertainment audiences.
"We are proud to receive the Hashtag Sports Award for Best on Instagram," said Texans Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Doug Vosik. "TORO isn't just an in-stadium personality. He's a leading social voice and a true entertainment brand. This recognition is a testament to our team's real-time creativity and production of highly shareable content that local and national audiences actively seek out."
By leaning into humor, surprise and repeatable high-retention content, TORO has become one of the most followed professional sports mascot with a combined following of 2.5 million. Additionally, TORO was inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame's Class of 2025, earning the highest number of votes amongst the Executive Committee and ranked highest for public votes of all mascots on the ballot.
The Texans' recognition at the Hashtag Sports Awards places TORO alongside some of the most innovative and impactful social brands in sports industry. Other nominees in the Best on Instagram category included the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Chargers.
The Hashtag Sports Awards, presented by the Engagement Academy of Sports Entertainment, are peer-based awards that establish the benchmark for excellence in sports content, media, marketing, and experiences. The Engagement Academy aims to serve the sports entertainment community through year-round events and education, celebrating, inspiring and advocating for content creators, creatives, and marketers globally.
To learn more, visit www.hashtagsports.com/awards.
For more TORO content, follow @texanstoro1 on all social platforms.
