Phillies trade Harry Kalas' name for energy drink sponsor — fans cry foul
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Phillies fans aren't giving the rebrand the "Philly shrug." Photo: Al Tielemans /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images
The Phillies have found themselves in a pickle before the season starts over their decision to remove legendary broadcaster Harry Kalas' name from an upper-deck concessions bar as part of a naming rights deal with Ghost Energy.
Why it matters: To fans, the move landed like a 103-mph fastball to the ribs — and it's coming from their own team.
Driving the news: The Phillies haven't disclosed how much Ghost Energy — the team's official energy drink — is paying for the deal, which replaces signage at a left-field concessions area that had been branded with Kalas' name since the stadium opened more than two decades ago.
- But backlash was swift, with upset fans flooding sports talk radio, online forums and even writing letters to the team and local newspapers.
The other side: Owner John Middleton defended the decision as the "cost of doing business," saying the team needs new revenue streams to pay its high-priced roster.
Catch up quick: Kalas was the voice of the Phillies for decades until his death in 2009.
- His legacy still looms large at Citizens Bank Park: There's a statue of him on the concourse, and the broadcast booth still bears his name.
Zoom in: The new deal replaces an arrangement with Kalas' widow that allowed the team to use his likeness at the stadium in exchange for royalties, per CBS.
What they're saying: Like many fans, Axios reader Kelly M. said she was "absolutely gobsmacked" by the rebrand, sharing a letter she sent to the team.
- "This was a safe place for me, and for countless other Philadelphians," she wrote. "So it probably goes without saying how deeply unnerving it feels to have a safe place choose sponsorship money over our culture."
The other side: Ghost Energy — which was acquired by Keurig Dr. Pepper in 2024 — didn't respond to Axios' request for comment on whether it plans to incorporate Kalas' legacy into the rebrand.
- The company's founder, West Chester's Ryan Hughes, also didn't respond to Axios' request for comment but told the Inquirer that Kalas' legacy is "far bigger than a concession stand in left field."
The bottom line: Philly sports blog Liberty Line offered a tongue-in-cheek compromise: Call it "The Ghost of Harry Kalas."