The Phillie Phanatic got some "plastic surgery" done in Florida. Sunday the team debuted the Phanatic's new look. It includes a shorter nose/horn thing, a blue tail, different shoes, some scales and lighter blue eyebrows.
Why change something so perfect? Well it all comes down to a lawsuit of course. The designers of the Phanatic -- the firm Harrison/Erickson have the ability to reclaim the Phanatic copyright in June and the Phillies do not want that to happen.
You have to go back to 1978 when the Phanatic debuted and the Phillies could've bought the copyright for $1,300, but decided to pass on it so technically the Phillies don't own the Phanatic copyright forever.
The team says the firm just designed the costume and not the personality. Anyways, the team hopes the refresh will end Harrison/Erickson's copyright claim so the Phanatic can be a part of the Phillies forever.
See the new Phanatic for yourself down below.
Pictured: The Phillie Phanatic (before the change) at our 2019 Q102 Jingle Ball presented by Capital One.
Photo by Bill McCay/Getty Images for iHeartMedia