Phillie Phanatic Makes Iconic Appearance at Wrexham AFC

As the Philadelphia Phillies prepare to take on the New York Mets in the London Series, the Phillie Phanatic has been helping prepare the stage by visiting Wrexham AFC.
Phillie Phanatic Makes Iconic Appearance at Wrexham AFC
Phillie Phanatic Makes Iconic Appearance at Wrexham AFC /
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Does it get any more Philly than the Phillie Phanatic helping prepare the battle space against the New York Mets for the London Series by visiting Wrexham AFC, the soccer club co-owner by It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia star Rob McElhenney?

We would say probably not. 

But that was the scene this past Thursday. 

The MLB has been really pushing the sport in the United Kingdom over the last few seasons, even naming former Philadelphia Phillies legend Chase Utley to lead the charge in the country to be an ambassador to the game. 

Now it's the Phillies and Mets turn to play in London this June. Of course it's not just enough to play a series, instead, the most iconic mascot in sports and... whatever the Mets mascot is, are helping prepare the battle space by trying to win the hearts of minds of those in the UK. 

For Philadelphia fans, it gets even better. 

McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds bought Wrexham AFC, a club in League Two of the English Football league, has become one of America's biggest clubs. Partly because of the underdog story that is currently be being played out by the club but also it's owned by two of the most beloved Hollywood actors.

And the smash hit Welcome to Wrexham documentary helps too. 

Now if anyone is familiar with the geography of the UK, Wrexham, in Wales, isn't exactly close to London, the city where the Phillies and Mets series will take place (and where my beloved Chelsea play).

So, what gives?

It's a brilliant move on the MLB's behalf to help grow the game across the UK by utilizing the Hollywood power of Wrexham AFC and the iconic mascots to pique and ultimately garner interest in the sport of baseball. 

By nearly every metric, it's working.


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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.