Original Phillie Phanatic Designers Send Angry Response to Team Over New Rebrand

The Philadelphia Phillies unveiled a few small changes to the Phillie Phanatic this season. Some feathers, a tail, and new shoes were the major changes and this did not appear to be a controversial move on the surface.

Yet the Phillies are in the midst of a lawsuit with the creators of the Phanatic and they spoke out against the rebrand of Philadelphia's beloved mascot.

Only in Philadelphia would a mascot be in the middle of a heated legal battle.

Bonnie Erickson and Wayde Harrison created the Phanatic and called the rebrand "an affront to our intellectual property rights and to Phillies fans everywhere."

The owners do note that the changes are a bit of a legal move by the Phillies to make enough changes to keep control of the right to the mascot. That is a sly bit of maneuvering by the team, pitched as a generic rebrand.

This story could eventually end with the Phillies losing the rights to the Phillie Phanatic. What would come next? Gritty 2.0? This story is far from over, folks.