Report: Phillies Settle Lawsuit Concerning Phanatic

It appears the Phillie Phanatic will be remaining in Philadelphia for the foreseeable future.
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

The Philadelphia Phillies have reportedly come to an agreement that will settle the lawsuit surrounding the Phillie Phanatic according to The Inquirer's Matt Breen.

Drama and concern has surrounded the mascot since 2019 when the team sued the Phantic's creators, Bonnie Erickson and Wayde Harrison, when they threatened an injunction on the team's use of the mascot.

Had the injunction gone through, then the Phanatic would have, as Breen puts it, been a "free agent." The Phanatic is one of the most recognizable mascots in sports and having to create a new look could wreck havoc on the branding of the team and subsequent need to remarket the new one. 

The injunction was threatened due to federal copyright law that allows the creators to renegotiate a new rights deal after 35 years. Hence why the injunction was threatened in 2019, 35 years after the terms were agreed to in 1984.

The details of the settlement are unknown and both parties have 30 days to finalize the terms. Regardless, it appears that the world-renowned mascot will remain in Philadelphia come 2022 after a long legal battle took place. 

Bryce Harper should be able to continue wearing headbands, cleats, and all of the other apparel he loves wearing in the Phanatic's honor. 

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Kade Kistner
KADE KISTNER

Kade Kistner is the publisher and beat writer for Sports Illustrated's Inside the Phillies. An alumnus of Tulane University, Kade graduated in 2017 with a degree in Latin American Studies and a minor in Spanish. Upon graduation, Kade commissioned into the United States Navy and attended Naval Flight School in Pensacola, Fl. He served as a Naval Aviator and was stationed in Jacksonville, Fl.  During his time in school and the Navy, Kade began covering the MLB and NFL with USA Today, SB Nation, and Sports Illustrated.  Kade covered the New Orleans Saints, Texas Rangers, and numerous other teams within the Sports Illustrated network before launching Inside the Phillies, Inside the Astros, and Inside the Cubs. You can follow him on Twitter at @KadeKistner, or if you have any questions or comments he can be reached via email at kwkistner@gmail.com.