KYW In Depth: Can you really take the Phillie out of the Phanatic?

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Phillie Phanatic has held down the job of Phillies mascot for more than 40 years. 

"1978, Dave Raymond debuted the Phanatic at a home game," KYW Newsradio's Paul Kurtz explained. "We didn't think much of it at the time, except, 'what is this thing.' And it didn't take too long. I think by midsummer we were going, 'whatever it is, it's funny.'"

But now, a feud between the Phillies organization and the design firm behind the mascot means the future of the Phanatic in South Philadelphia is a little less clear.

"If anyone tells you that they know how this is going to play out in the courts, you should look at them with a sort of skepticism," said intellectual property lawyer Peter Wakiyama, a partner at Pepper Hamilton LLP in Center City. "No one knows how litigation is going to play out."

This week on KYW In Depth, we dig into what's actually happening, why the two sides are fighting, and what the odds are that 2020 ends up being the Phanatic's last season in Philadelphia.

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