The new digital board at Citizens Bank Park "mostly was used during the season-opening series as a vehicle for increased advertising” Getty Images
While advertisements in baseball are “not new,” watching the Phillies this weekend at Citizens Bank Park “felt like surfing the internet without a pop-up blocker,” according to Matt Breen of the PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER. The Phillies removed the out-of-town scoreboard after 20 seasons, replacing it with a "digital board that covers the length of the right-field wall" and features "seven advertisements during the game while also listing statistics of the hitter and pitcher." It shows some out-of-town scores between innings but "mostly was used during the season-opening series as a vehicle for increased advertising.” The seven ads on the digital board are "matched by seven ads on the left-field fence." An advertisement runs across the top of the right-field wall, and another advertisement was "added this season atop the left-field wall in front of the flower beds." There are advertisements "on the giant PhanaVision the Phillies unveiled last season, ads in the bullpen, and more on the stadium’s second and third decks." Phillies EVP Dave Buck said, "You have a giant payroll. You have to raise revenue.” He added, "It's a fine line. It’s not a science; it’s an art. You walk that line, and you try to make it so you can raise money but you also want to do it so it’s not totally ridiculous.” Breen noted the Phillies expect to "add at least one more advertisement this season" as the team "continues to pursue a sponsor for their uniform" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 4/1).
