I'm going to be a little different. As I scrolled from #1 to #2, I definitely liked #2 better. When I scrolled to #3, I thought I liked, but I kept going back and forth over 2 and 3 and finally decided I like the crispness of the white background around the Viking. Really makes it pop and I think that's what you want for the mascot. Just one opinion among many!
So, #2 is my choice