Aug 1, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia's 2026 MLB All-Star Game logo on display at Citizens Bank Park. (Grace Del Pizzo/On Pattison)
Don't expect to see the analog clock return to center field at Citizens Bank Park after the All-Star Game in July.
Oh come on, man.
That was such a cool little Connie Mack Stadium reference.
— Rob Hanna (@robhanna.bsky.social) July 18, 2025 at 8:05 PM
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A year ago, the Phillies temporary displaced the analog clock that paid homage to Shibe Park/Connie Mack Stadium to put up the 2026 MLB All-Star Game logo. As it turns out, it might not have been a temporary displacement.
When asked by OnPattison Tuesday evening about the future of the clock, Phillies managing partner John Middleton had a pretty strong reaction.
"I don't think there's any reason to put the clock back up," Middleton said. "Honestly, if you ask the 3.375 million who came to our ballpark last year, how many of those people do you think would know that clock represents the clock on top of the right field scoreboard [at Connie Mack]? Seriously ... 5%? 10%?"
That may be true, although the clock had been at Citizens Bank Park since it opened in 2004. Perhaps many people don't know that it's a nod to Phillies history, but they got used to it at this stadium for over two decades. What about, independent of the inspiration for it, the nostalgia of the of the clock at Citizens Bank Park?
"The world changes ... new people ... new fans ... new customers," Middleton said. "There are younger people who look at that and say 'Why is that there?' I've got my phone, I don't need the clock. Why is it there, who cares?'
"And by the way, I saw Johnny Callison hit that clock [at Connie Mack] and have an inside-the-park home run. He was past second base when the ball hit the field, and he slid under the tag. I remember that clock very, very well."
John Middleton explains to @TimKellySports why the center field analog clock likely won’t be going back up after the All-Star Game. pic.twitter.com/dPawCMVicR
It's unclear if the Phillies actually did any sort of focus testing with younger fans about the clock, or if fans who don't know what inspired it would have a greater appreciation once educated on the history.
In the end, this was a similar answer to what the Phillies gave when they removed the old-school out-of-town-scoreboard from right field after the 2023 season and installed a digital board that does show some new-school stats and scores from other games, but mostly created more ad space.
Basically, the thought is that in 2026, no one needs to look out at the scoreboard to see other scores from around the league, or at the clock to see what time it is, because they have cell phones. That might be true, although part of the appeal of going to the ballpark in the summer is, or at least was, disconnecting from technology and just enjoying the experience. There was a shared experience at Citizens Bank Park of fans cheering late in the season when the New York Mets or Atlanta Braves lost that's now gone. Just because you have your phone with you at the park doesn't mean you want to get it out to look at the time. Looking at the clock kept you from having to do that if you didn't want to.
The reality here is that there's money to be made. Just like there was money to be made with increased ad space on the out-of-town scoreboard, or by renaming Harry The K's. Putting back the clock wouldn't make money, even if it was cool. Putting up another ad in that space beginning in mid-July will bring in more money, even if it chips away at the character of the park. (For what it's worth, Middleton says the Phillies don't have plans to sell the naming rights to Ashburn Alley.)
In the end, this is a business. Spotrac projects that the Phillies will have a luxury tax payroll of approximately $309.5 million this season, the fourth-highest among MLB teams. The Phillies have signed Kyle Schwarber, Jesús Luzardo and Cristopher Sánchez to major contracts in recent months, and some of the additional revenue sources around the park have almost certainly made that possible.
"If you want a $300 million payroll, you need to have $600+ million in revenue," Middleton said. "You're looking for money everywhere. And by the way, if you go to Yankee Stadium, you go to Dodger Stadium, it's all over the place. That's the cost of doing business."
