Philadelphia Phillies’ Controversial Minor League Team Name Change is a Marketing Gamble

A few weeks ago the Philadelphia Phillies Double-A affiliate, the Reading Phillies, announced that they were going to change their name. Outrage spread across the minor league region, as the masses protested the death of one of their sacred cows. That response was completely understandable, because people naturally are protective of a tradition that they helped to build.

The late, great Philadelphia Phillies’ announcer Harry Kalas often fondly referred to the Reading Phillies’ major league parent club as “The Fightins. Now that the Reading “Fightin Phils” have been born, hopefully all will be forgiven in Baseballtown.

Learning from the masters

I was fortunate to work for a two solid minor league marketing men during the start of my career. General manager Bill Terlecky and assistant general manager Rick Muntean led the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons (the Phillies’ former Triple-A affiliate) when I was in the front office of that minor league team in the 1990s. They, along with a number of other sharp individuals, taught me how an entire baseball experience can be marketed to the public.

Smart professionals know that a fan base must be built and then maintained. That’s exactly what Terlecky and Muntean did during their tenure in Moosic, Pennsylvania. Moosic is the specific geographic location where the Lackawanna County Stadium was built and then opened in 1989. (The New York Yankees currently have their Triple-A affiliate located at my old stomping grounds. A completely renovated stadium is scheduled to open in the spring and with that a team name change has also been announced.)

During that same time period Craig Stein was remaking the Phillies’ Double-A affiliate in Reading, Pennsylvania. After buying the club in 1986, he established a superb front office team. Over time general manager Chuck Domino and current top boss Scott Hunsicker created a minor league marketing dynamo.

Talking minor league baseball in November

The Reading Phillies, now Fightin Phils, perennially strong attendance marks represent the successful sale of a brand to the public. Every trip to First Energy Stadium is consistently satisfying because of the thoughtful decisions that have been made and because forward-looking choices aren’t feared.

Using an ostrich, that one of the team’s “mascots” (The Crazy Hot Dog Vendor) rides, as the Fightin’s new logo is another nice touch. Fans of all ages love that funny image and shouldn’t fret over the illustrated patch that will adorn each players’ sleeve.

Of course, getting the public to focus on a minor league baseball team for two weeks in November was part of the plan and is being applauded by everyone who understands effective word-of-mouth advertising. With whatever has been said, or will be heard, in the fall and winter wind should blow away and be replaced by the cheers of thousands as soon as the 2013 Double-A season begins.

Sean O’Brien is based in the Philadelphia region. He began his professional career in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons’ front office (the Philadelphia Phillies former Triple-A affiliate), later worked as a freelance sports writer and is currently a Featured Contributor in Sports for the Yahoo Contributor Network! You can follow him on Twitter @SeanyOB and also read his daily Sports Blog: Insight.

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