Phillies

Just What Phillies Fans Need Right Now – an IBX Sleeve Patch Hype Video

By Kevin Kinkead

Published: Jul 31st, 2024 · 9:50 AM EDT

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The Phillies lost 7-6 in 12 innings on Tuesday night to extend their horrendous run of form. But the good thing is that the sleeve patch is here! –

Independence Blue Cross.
Our hometown partner.
And now, our official jersey patch partner.@IBX x #RingTheBell pic.twitter.com/2ZJf4PO0HR

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) July 31, 2024

Is this.. a hype video? For a sleeve patch? Why yes, it is. Voiced by the great Mike Schmidt himself. Unfortunate timing for the marketing folks, who had this Wednesday announcement all lined up, then the team decided to shit the bed and get the fans all riled up.

Lackluster zeitgeist of the moment aside, nobody cares about this. No Phillies fan within a 100-mile radius of Citizens Bank Park is excited to have IBX on the sleeve. At best, they shrug and accept the fact that sleeve patches and corporate sponsors like IBX and Bimbo are part and parcel because they bring in more money and contribute to the business side of the operation. You can’t pay large salaries without money, so we begrudgingly accept while not exactly jonesing to get down to the team store and queue up around the block. The only people who give half a shit about this sleeve deal are IBX and the Phillies.

But in order to balance out the article and say something nice, I do think the design works. It’s blue and white with the red trim, so it at least looks like it fits the general color palette. The Flyers’ blue IBX clashes with their tri-color brand. Their “motif,” if you will. Remember, the Mets came out with a white and red patch that stuck out like a sore thumb, so Uncle Steve Cohen pivoted hard and changed the design completely. This Phillies patch doesn’t look horrible, at least from the initial look. The only thing horrifying is the play on the field.