In professional sports, there are player negotiations, trades between teams and deals brokered for new stadiums. Now, the Philadelphia Phillies and their famous Phanatic are introducing a new concept: lawsuits over mascots.
The Phillies filed a federal lawsuit Friday in New York to keep the Phanatic — a lovable green, furry thing — as the team’s mascot. The owners of the Phanatic idea want to become available to all teams in all sports, what they call a mascot “free agent.”
Oh, the drama.
The firm that designed the Philadelphia Phanatic costume has demanded the Phillies pay millions of dollars to continue using the costume.
The Phillies returned fire today by filing suit in Federal Court claiming full ownership of the costume.#Phillies #Phanatic
My analysis👇 pic.twitter.com/tZIr5dPp0w
— Josh Gerben (@JoshGerben) August 2, 2019
A Phanatic history
In the 1970s, the Phillies, inspired by the success of the San Diego Chicken, brought on Dennis Lehman to work with promotions director Frank Sullivan and executive Bill Giles to create a new mascot.
The team had previously used “Philadelphia Phil” and “Philadelphia Phillis,” a brother and sister dressed in revolutionary-era outfits, as mascots, but that gambit didn’t last long.
The team wanted something more fun, so it sought input from Harrison/Erickson. The Phillies soon created the Phanatic.
The Phanatic lawsuit includes this disturbing photo of the costume with no one in it pic.twitter.com/yyRtIefhLs
— Andrew Beaujon (@abeaujon) August 2, 2019
A lawsuit? Really?
The Phanatic made its debut in April 1978. By 1984, it was wildly popular. The Phillies — according to their version of events in the lawsuit — paid Harrison/Erickson $215,000 in 1984 for what amounted to lifetime rights for the mascot.
But Harrison/Erickson recently threatened an injunction against the team. If the team didn’t agree to renegotiate the agreement for “millions of dollars” more, then the mascot firm would renege on the deal. The Phanatic would be a free agent, and he would be able to go to any other team or event.
What a lot of fun one judge is about to have, and we can’t wait to find out how he rules.
Phillies sue Phanatic creator to prevent mascot from becoming a ‘free agent’ https://t.co/IIssZw5ttO
— The Philadelphia Inquirer (@PhillyInquirer) August 3, 2019
(h/t Philadelphia Inquirer)
