The Philadelphia Phillies will have hometown support throughout London Stadium as the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau will be activating in and around the stadium this weekend when the NL East-leading Phillies take on the New York Mets at London Stadium in the annual MLB London Series.
The United Kingdom is one of Philadelphia’s top overseas feeder markets and top overseas market in total spending. According to Tourism Economics, in 2023 the city welcomed 91,000 visitors from the U.K. In 2024, the U.K. is expected to again be one of the highest overseas visitor markets for Philadelphia, with the city projected to welcome 111,000 U.K. visitors.
“International travelers are key to Philadelphia’s thriving tourism economy,” said Gregg Caren, president and chief executive officer of the PHLCVB. “Last year, the city welcomed 1.1 million international visitors, directly resulting in an economic impact of more than $950 million on the region. With three daily non-stop flights from London during the summer months, the city is extremely accessible to visitors. Continuing to reach and attract international travelers in new and interesting ways is essential to recovering to and exceeding pre-pandemic levels. As a known sports city, we are taking advantage of this unique and strategic opportunity to reach U.K. sports fans and let them know Philadelphia is ready to welcome them now and especially in 2026 when Philadelphia will be the center of the sports universe.”
The PHLCVB has secured several in-stadium advertising opportunities at London Stadium on the outfield wall, behind home plate and around the Phillies dugout. The PHLCVB promotional pieces also include a commercial spot on the scoreboard promoting travel to Philadelphia and an official program ad. The PHLCVB is also leveraging two of London’s most recognizable transportation methods, wrapping tens of London taxicabs with Philadelphia promotions and displaying digital advertisements on Tube stops throughout the city.
Additionally, the PHLCVB has partnered with Philadelphia-themed bar Passyunk Avenue, who will be hosting watch parties at their three London locations. The first 1,000 attendees at each location will receive a special gift bag, which includes Philadelphia-branded promotional items. Activities and events include a recreation of Reading Terminal Market in central London.
“This MLB World Tour series is the perfect opportunity for us to leverage the international attention Philadelphia will be receiving,” said Joe Heller, senior vice president, marketing and communications. “As Philadelphia raises its global profile, our goal with these activations that showcase our city is to inspire travelers to think of Philadelphia for their next big vacation.”