I have about as much interest in this Phillie Phanatic story as the Phillies lineup seems to have in scoring runs. Know what I’m saying?

And yet, here we are with an update in this budding saga that doesn’t seem like it will conclude anytime soon.

The rundown of what we already know, which is further explained in this post by Kevin Kinkead:

  • Mascot creators Bonnie Erickson and Wade Harrison want more money from the Phillies for their part in developing the Phillie Phanatic.
  • If Erickson and Harrison don’t get the compensation they seek, they want the mascot to essentially become a free agent.
  • For their part, the Phillies credit former team president and partial owner Bill Giles with the conceptualization of the Phillie Phanatic and don’t feel any further compensation is required.
  • The team believes a 1984 agreement signed by the two parties gives the Phillies perpetual rights.
  • The Phillies filed a lawsuit last week against Erickson and Harrison, claiming they do not have a claim to the copyright.

Now that you’re all caught up, the latest update comes via this Philadelphia Business Journal story, in which Erickson and Harrison say they will continue to seek action against the Phillies despite the recent lawsuit. Their latest comments which came yesterday, per the story, can be viewed after the jump.


While we very much want the Phanatic to remain the Phillies mascot, we will not yield to this lawsuit tactic. We intend to respond to it and win.

The Phillies paid the co-creators $215,000 back in 1984 for the rights to the Phillie Phanatic, but the team claims the pair now wants millions in additional compensation given the mascot’s enduring popularity.

Harrison and Erickson say they plan to take action if the team continues to use the Phillie Phanatic beyond June 15, 2020.

In a world that keeps on pushin’ Erickson, Harrison, and the Phillies around, they will each stand their ground. They won’t be turned around.  Maybe the two sides will get together and hammer out a settlement, or maybe they will head to court because there’s no easy way out.

As of now, we just know that Harrison/Erickson or the Phillies won’t back down.