Marlins introduce Lil’ Billy
With a video spoof of Austin Powers as introduction, the Marlins unveiled the latest addition in their "eight-figure" marketing arsenal at Saturday night’s game at Dolphin Stadium: Lil’ Billy.
The mini-Billy the Marlin mascot looks about half the size of the original Billy, but wears a 1/3 on his jersey. He was introduced between innings and the two big-billed fish danced together.
Marlins Marketing VP Sean Flynn says it’s an idea he’s had for a while – not one he borrowed from the Panthers who unveiled mini-Stanley this past season.
“Have been sitting on it for a few years,” Flynn said. “We have added a ton … This fit in finally.”
That’s right: dancing burly Manatees, T-shirt throwing Maniacs, Saturday night post-game concerts and fireworks… and a pint-sized mascot called Lil’ Billy….
Comments
Very ironic. When I was about 10, I was a die hard Marlin's fan, and I came up with the idea of having a Billy the Marlin Jr. I was a kid and I had a well developed imagination. So my father helped me write a letter and we sent it to Dave Dombrowski. He sent a letter back to me stating that it was a good idea, but not in the future plans of marketing anytime soon. Hmmm, sounds a little FISHY to me. Oh, I still have the letter Dombrowski returned to me to prove it.
Posted by: Phil Marro Jr. | June 9, 2008 2:04 AM
Very ironic. When I was about 10, I was a die hard Marlin's fan, and I came up with the idea of having a Billy the Marlin Jr. I was a kid and I had a well developed imagination. So my father helped me write a letter and we sent it to Dave Dombrowski. He sent a letter back to me stating that it was a good idea, but not in the future plans of marketing anytime soon. Hmmm, sounds a little FISHY to me. Oh, I still have the letter Dombrowski returned to me to prove it.
Posted by: Phil Marro Jr. | June 9, 2008 2:03 AM
Phil is right on.
Mike B. says, "Strike TWOOOOOOO, DOS STRIKESSSSSS!"
Posted by: josh | June 8, 2008 5:09 PM
Seems like this is a knockoff from the Panthers. ... And the Manatees are a knockoff from the Heat (even using one of the guys the Heat would always have on the video screens dancing just before tip-off). ... And of course, the Mermaids are just a junior varsity version of the Heat dancers.
I mean, even the name of "Lil' Billy" is a knockoff of Heat extreme teamer "Lil' Willie."
Apparently, imitation is an expensive form of flattery.
Imagine how much these things would have cost if the Marlins came up with them on their own? $50 million? $100 million?
Pshaw.
For that kind of money, the Marlins could have built a cricket stadium in Broward.
What next? A geriatric dance troupe called the "Golden Moldies?" How about the "Old Bats?" Maybe we get Baiamonte to go "Strike THREEEEEEEEEEE?"
Eight figures? Only with decimal points involved.
Posted by: Phil Hellmuth | June 8, 2008 4:52 PM