Almost all of Philadelphia is psyched about outfielder Bryce Harper’s historic contract with the Phillies, but one radio station is celebrating the deal with a name change, reports philly.com.
Beasley Media Group’s WBEN 95.7 FM will now be known as BRYCE FM. The rebrand is in honor of the much-anticipated addition to the Phillies lineup, according to a release.
“We’re very excited about Bryce making a long-term commitment to the team and fans in Philadelphia,” morning host Matt Cord said. “We thought it would be fun to give him his due by renaming the station in tribute to him.”
In addition to the name-change, BRYCE FM will kick off a contest on Monday, March 4, to send a listener to see “Baseball’s LeBron” work out with the Phillies during spring training.
Further contest details were not announced, nor were any other changes at the station. BEN FM branding is still visible on the station’s website. The change will last “until further notice,” a spokesperson said.
The marketing move recalls the infamous IHOP/IHOB ad campaign from last year, in which the pancake restaurant known as the International House of Pancakes temporarily changed its name to the International House of Burgers. According to a report from Business Insider, the promotion was a “huge success” that quadrupled burger sales at the chain.
While the longevity of BRYCE FM remains to be seen, Harper’s contract is finite. As his agent told reporters this week, the right fielder “wanted one city for the rest of his career,” and now, that city is Philadelphia. At 13 years and $330 million, his contract with the Phillies is considered the “most lucrative contract in American sports history,” according to an Inquirer report.
Outfielder Bryce Harper got a record-breaking $330 million, 13-year contract this week to leave the Washington Nationals and join the Phillies.
But there’s another number that’s almost as eye-popping: $12.6 million. That’s the amount Harper could expect to pay in wage taxes if he made Philadelphia his primary residence for the duration of his contract, according to an Inquirer analysis.
Harper could save millions, however, if he lived outside the city, paying just $5.1 million in Philadelphia wage taxes in the next 13 years, the Philly Inquirer estimated.
Philadelphia’s wage tax, long among the highest in the nation, claims close to 4 percent of income earned by Philadelphia residents, and just under 3.5 percent for those who live elsewhere but work in the city.
Why the large difference between Harper’s tax burden if he lived in Philadelphia or elsewhere?
Athletes who live outside the city have to pay wage taxes only for days that they work in Philadelphia. They don’t pay the tax for working days spent at spring training and away games — and that adds up for Phillies players.
If Harper decided to live in Philadelphia, however, 100 percent of his wages would be subject to the resident rate.
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