The Phillies represent the biggest growth brand in the baseball industry, similar to how the Red Sox began to rise in 2003 under new ownership. Their farm system is so flush that they could trade for both Lee (who cost them four prospects) and Halladay inside of six months and still have hay in the barn. Their attendance has risen 38 percent since 2006, climbing from 2.6 million -- ninth in the league -- to 3.6 million. Their payroll in those three years jumped 49 percent, from $88 million to $131 million and is likely to approach $140 million in 2010. Local television ratings for the Phillies on CSN Philadelphia, their regional sports network, soared 24 percent last year alone -- the team's seventh consecutive season with increased viewership. The Phillies' 7.13 rating and 210,000 average homes are team records. Only the Yankees and Red Sox reach more households with their local networks -- making the Phillies the most watched team in the NL.
From Tom Verducci's latest on SI.com. Brings a tear to your eye, huh?
7 months ago
WholeCamels
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Blame the Rockies!
http://www.thegoodphight.com
by WholeCamels on Dec 10, 2009 11:35 PM EST up reply actions
It’s a beautiful thing when a team wins on a regular basis. I don’t mind all the new fans as long as they pay for tickets and payroll.
Scar tissue is stronger than muscle tissue. Realize the strength, move on.
And the Phillies do what the Sox did and stay good enough to maintain this level of fandom.
by Clyde Simmons on Dec 11, 2009 7:27 AM EST up reply actions
With a booming farm system and all pieces in place to win for an extended period of time I don’t see the Phils with a loosing record for some time.
Scar tissue is stronger than muscle tissue. Realize the strength, move on.
Are “booming” farm system contains mostly outfielders 1 catcher and some decent arms. It’s alot, but if there is anything that can go from boom to bust fast its pitching…look at Carlos Carrosco. Last year he was our Drabek, this year he isn’t even the centerpiece to bring Lee in.
by Clyde Simmons on Dec 11, 2009 8:37 AM EST up reply actions
elite systems...
have three things: potential difference-makers close to the majors, raw high-upside guys further away, and a bunch of role-player types who should be able to fill out the back half of a roster cheaply and effectively.
The Phils have all three: three potential stars in Brown, Drabek and Taylor who all should be ready by 2011 at the latest, prospects like Valle, Singleton, Santana, Cosart and Colvin who flashed serious potential in rookie ball and short-season A, and a lot of fifth-starter/situational reliever types at the top 2-3 levels in Savery, Carpenter, Worley, Flande, Stutes, Cisco, Escalona, Zagurski, Schwimer and Rosenberg.
At the risk of antagonizing taco pal again, I think you can even add a fourth bucket: raw super-athletic “lottery ticket” guys who might put it all together. That’s Hewitt, Collier, Dugan, James, et al. Probably none of them do anything of note in the majors, but if they do, that’s another huge coup.
“Booming” is an accurate descriptor.
boom
I kind of like what Kevin Goldstein said about Category #4, specifically Anthony Hewitt; he might have the least chance of the first round picks to make it to the big leagues (maybe 20%-ish), but he also might have the best chance of making the Hall of Fame (maybe 5%). IOW, if he can combine skills with his incredible physical gifts, watch out.
If we’re talking raw athletic ability, “90% Bo Jackson” might be a good comp.
http://www.thegoodphight.com
by WholeCamels on Dec 11, 2009 12:42 PM EST up reply actions
Awesome article, BUT...
a bit premature methinks. The Phils evolving into a Yankees-esque juggernaut would resound far more AFTER Halladay was signed.
If you win . . .
We’ve said this for a long time. If ownership builds a winner, the fans and money will come. I’m glad the Phillies have finally seen that.
let's not jinx ourselves for next year...
injuries can happen at any time. knock on wood. every year is different. one at a time.
Incidentally, you know who deserves perhaps the most credit for the Phillies Renaissance we’re now enjoying is David Montgomery. The organization’s turnaround began about ten years ago, right around the time he took over from Bill Giles. Yes the new ballpark was a big help too, but I don’t the timing of those events was a pure coincidence.
Who else deserves more credit? Gillick deserves some, but the Phillies were already a pretty good team when he was hired as GM. Some might say Arbuckle too, but he was hired in the early ‘90s – if he was really that influential, the results wouldn’t have taken ten years to show up. In contrast, when Monty took over as CEO, the Phillies were maybe the weakest organization in all of baseball, and they haven’t been bad since. The hallmarks of his tenure have been stability, consistency, noninterference with the people in charge of personnel, and a much greater emphasis on player development than the team had before. Very Lurie/Reid-esque, except he’s also been lucky enough to win a title too.
by taco pal on Dec 11, 2009 11:01 AM EST reply actions 3 recs
Recced for emphasis.
"Want a donut go to dunkin donuts, want a linebacker go to Penn State."
- Cris Carter, NFL Draft, 4/25/09
twitter: @princessblueezy
great points all
I’m glad I didn’t stab him in the head with a fork when I saw him at a restaurant in May 2008, as I very briefly considered.
as one of the longer-toothed TGPers
I can’t help but to think back to the early 1980s. So many conditions were similar—about 5 years of playoff-level baseball after years of NOTHING, big attendance, prominent FAs were coming here, a WS win -and then, by my reckoning, disastrous series of events-not least of which an ownership transition to the Silent Partners from the Carpenter family, but then the Giles/Owens fascination with Proven Veteran Talent/Good Clubhouse Guys at the expense of a decent farm system—also into the teeth of a deep recession! Less talked about is how Channel 17 failed to develop into an early WGN-like superstation.
This time around, it looks like the blueblooded Silent Partners are staying the same, Montgomery is far more capable than Giles, and Comcast it seems is only growing stronger. So on the money side, it seems far more stable. But on talent, I’d certainly worry. Two moves (Ivan DeJesus, Von Hayes) can wreck a franchise at multiple starting 8 positions for 10-15 years. And trading away HOF talent as a throw in (hi, Rye Sandberg) and other guys who perform until they’re almost 50 (Julio Franco) just kills you.
Bottom line: if the Phillies stay true to form and botch this era of opportunity, I’ll feel like I recognize this franchise again. If they don’t, I’ll enjoy the success. But I gotta admit that I don’t recognize this team. In 1985, as a hs senior, I took a date on the spur of the moment, and while standing in line for tix, had some guy walk up to me and say - you want these? here— 20 rows up on the third base side. Gee thanks mister. Last year, against the ROYALS, I tried walking up and was told it was sold out. whatwhatwhat?
by Wet Luzinski on Dec 12, 2009 4:01 PM EST up reply actions
sorry about the strikethrough text. I think in dashes. I’m getting older.
by Wet Luzinski on Dec 12, 2009 4:05 PM EST up reply actions
Agreed
blue-blood and slient partner are words you don’t want to see together esp in regards to ownership of a business where labor isn’t vested in the production but is the product. That’s alot of power to give up esp.with baseball where there is no cap and the player ‘s union is strong. And blue bloods are all about power not money. Money only opens the door. What’s their angle because they really aren’t taking any risks by increasing pay roll which is a cost relative to the new revenue. I think the the real test would have been keeping Lee for his 1 year because it says they ‘d be willing to absorb loss which in turn means they would have to at the very least entertain the idea of recouping loss by pro-actively expanding their market. My only hope is that if they go all Flowers For Algeron, that their popularity during this baseball Renaissance will result in more research of the club’s inner workings to find the cause. Exposure on a national level is a something that even they can’t stop.
Does anyone have any idea how much Comcast pays the phillies for the broadcasting rights agreements?
Just curious…it sounds like it could go up with all attention the team is getting. I wonder if signing a major foreign player…like the Redsox did brings in foreign tv contracts as well…
These teams tend to have Comcast by the short hairs, and, by extension, Phillies fans like me are held captive by Comcast. I’m loathe to jump to Verizon or direct TV because by staying on Comcast I get all Phillies games. If that arrangement ever gets punctured, calamity ensues.
by Wet Luzinski on Dec 12, 2009 4:08 PM EST up reply actions
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