Original Phanatic Design Could Come Back After Lawsuit Settles

PHILADELPHIA — Phillies fans could see the original Phanatic back at Citizens Bank Park next season following the settlement of a lawsuit between the team and the mascot's creators.

Phanatic creators Bonnie Erickson and Wayde Harrison previously sued the team for changing his looks, but a federal judge ruled in August the changes to the mascot made in 2020 following the suit were enough to allow the team to keep the Phanatic on board.

Now, multiple sources report at settlement between Erickson and Harrison, who created the Phanatic in 1978, and the team has been reached.

MLB.com reports the settlement says the Phillies can use the original design or the new one after the Phillies countersued Erickson and Harrison to protect their rights to use the Phanatic.

The new design features longer arms, stars around his eyes, a blue tail, scales under his arms, new red shoes with the Liberty Bell on them, and a bigger butt.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the team paid Erickson and Harrison an undisclosed amount of money to continue for the option to use the original design.

Monday's settlement says both designs are "derivative works prepared by The Phillies under authority of the 1984 Assignment," Action News reports.

This all stemmed from the end of a 35-year copyright agreement between the Phillies and Erickson and Harrison. The team and the creators filed opposing lawsuits.

Erickson and Harrison wanted to renegotiate a contract struck with the team in 1984 and are threatened to turn him into a "free agent."

The team said it's equally responsible for the Phanatic's popularity as the creators are.