Phillies' Utley Merchandise Is Top Seller At Citizens Bank Park

Utley Merchandise Top Seller At Citizens Bank Park For Third Straight Year

Phillies 2B Chase Utley for the third straight year "leads all Phillies in merchandise sales at Citizens Bank Park," according to Paul Vigna of the PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS. Phillies Dir of Merchandise Scott Brandreth said the percentage of sales are "even more in his favor this year," as Utley is accounting "for almost 40[%] of our player T-shirt sales." Brandreth added the small-sized Utley T-shirts "are outselling everyone else. So that means, I'm guessing, the women are buying the smalls." Modell's Sporting Goods District Manager Chris Pizzo said Utley's No. 26 jersey is selling "double" those of SS Jimmy Rollins and 1B Ryan Howard, the last two NL MVPs. Utley currently leads MLB with 21 home runs, and Pizzo said that Utley's merchandise is "starting to sell more outside" of the Philadelphia market (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 6/10).

SELECTIVE ABOUT ENDORSEMENTS: In Philadelphia, Paul Hagen wrote, "Instead of letting celebrity use him, [Utley] has found a way to use celebrity on his own terms." Utley has endorsement deals with EAS and Tastykake, and he and his wife, Jen, are "advocates for the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals." Utley: "As far as endorsements, there's a lot of stuff I do and a lot that I turn down. Stuff that I feel comfortable with and that's in my best interest, I'll definitely go with that." But Rollins "would like to see Utley do a little more." Rollins: "He knows his marketability. And that's all I've ever told him. 'Be marketable, man. You're already a person they love. And you're good. You're nice looking. You've got all the ladies.' That's a marketer's dream" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 6/10).