Major League Baseball is taking a guillotine to Phillie royalty. Well, a flying stuffed rendition of Phillie royalty.
A Flugtag team that spent $3,000 and 400 hours building a flying machine topped with a replica of one of Major League Baseball’s favorite mascots was told two days before the local competition that the Phanatic can’t fly.
Citing trademark restrictions, a liaison with Red Bull’s Flugtag informed the Phlyin’ Phanatics team that their mascot’s head must be removed from the machine before they launch the handmade aircraft over (into!) the Delaware River Saturday afternoon.
"We're going to have to fly it without a head," team leader Julie Jones sadly told the Daily News.
Now, only the belly of their fuzzy green muppet-like mascot will be belly-flopping into the river, as the short notice made it impossible for the team to build a whole new character.
“Well we were the Phlyin’ Phanatics and now we are not really sure what we are,” team member Dan White told NBC Philadelphia.
"How about we cut the head off and call it, 'The Philly Mascot That Major League Baseball Decided to Kill?' " team pilot Adam Denard said to the Daily News.
The disheartened Phlyin’ Phanatics will join 32 other teams between 1 and 3:30 p.m. Saturday, launching their flying machines off a 30-foot platform on the Camden waterfront.
But they aren’t belly-flopping their headless heap ‘o green before sharing a few choice words for the MLB.
"This is my city, Major League Baseball! My Phillies! My Phillie Phanatic! You are a bunch of freaking nerds," Denard said.
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