Reading Phillies Announce Rebranding

(Reading, Pa.)---The Reading Phillies, Double-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, have announced that the franchise will be undergoing a rebranding process over the next month. With the help of sports marketing firm Brandiose, Reading's rebranding will pay homage to the legacy of baseball in the city while providing a new identity that fans can rally behind for years to come.

"Through our history, the Reading Phillies have honored its longstanding relationship with the Philadelphia Phillies with variations of the Philadelphia uniform," said Reading General Manager Scott Hunsicker. "Our new look will establish a new identity for the modern era that parallels the Baseballtown heritage at America's Classic Ballpark." 

Reading will reveal the next step of the rebranding process during the 6th Annual Eastern PA Toy Run this Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium at 12:30 p.m.

Over the 46-year history of the Reading Phillies, the team's logo has paid tribute to the major league affiliation with the Philadelphia Phillies. The Reading Phillies' on-field uniforms mirrored Philadelphia's with red pinstriped home jerseys and hats emblazoned with an "R" rather than the major league "P". In recent years, the team's identity included local elements such as a train engine and the Pagoda sitting atop Mt. Penn. 

Brandiose and its partners Casey White and Jason Klein have worked with the Reading Phillies in 2008 and with the Baseballtown rebranding prior to the 2012 season. 

"America's Classic Ballpark is home to one of the most iconic experiences in the country, and we're imagining ways to take the Reading Phillies and Baseballtown universe to the next level," said Klein. "We're dreaming up things that have never been done before, and we know fans will love the next era of Reading Phillies baseball."

Based out of San Diego, California, Brandiose has dreamt up team names, mascots, and looks across Minor League Baseball. They have designed the logos for the Harrisburg Senators, Lehigh Valley IronPigs, and Richmond Flying Squirrels. The duo invented the first glow-in-the-dark on-field baseball cap for the Casper Ghosts and the first on-field rally cap design for the Altoona Curve. Their creative approach to storytelling and design led to Brandiose re-imagining the look and feel for the Cincinnati Reds, America's oldest baseball club.

Offering affordable family entertainment all summer long, the Reading Phillies have been the Double-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies since 1967. The 46-year continuous affiliation is tied with the Lakeland Flying Tigers as the longest in the Minor Leagues. Over the years, players such as Mike Schmidt, Ryne Sandberg, Jimmy Rollins, Pat Burrell, and Ryan Howard have come through Baseballtown on their way to major league stardom. 

In 2003, the R-Phils won the John H. Johnson President's Trophy, the top honor bestowed upon the complete franchise by Minor League Baseball. Reading has also been presented with the Larry MacPhail Promotional Award twice in its storied history as the best promotional team in all of Minor League Baseball and has been nominated for the award numerous times by the Eastern League including the past two seasons.

The Reading Phillies and Philadelphia Phillies continue their 47-year affiliation, the longest in minor league baseball, at FirstEnergy Stadium when the team opens up its season on April 12th against the Erie SeaWolves. Season ticket and mini-plans for the 2013 season can be purchased online at RPhils.com, by phone at 610-370-BALL, and in-person by visiting the R-Phils Ticket Office at FirstEnergy Stadium.