Tony Burns
I’ve done over 120 of these interviews, and this one hit me square in the chest. Tony Burns isn’t a ballplayer—he’s not tossing 99 or hitting bombs—but you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone more woven into the Phillies’ fabric. He’s lived it all: the move from the Vet to Citizens Bank Park, the rise from 100-loss seasons to Broad Street parades. We talked about grass (seriously), ticket stubs, and why the Phillies feel like family. And by the end, I wanted to buy season tickets myself—even if I’d have to sell a kidney for playoff seats.
You’ve been with the Phillies 26 years, and at Citizens Bank Park since it opened in 2004. What kind of impact has the ballpark had on the game—and on the city?
It’s huge. The Vet was all I knew growing up, so it didn’t seem that bad to me. But once we started planning Citizens Bank Park and touring other stadiums, we saw what we were missing. When the new park was announced, the whole energy changed—even at the Vet. We signed Jim Thome, had a young, exciting team, and there was this promise of a new era. I was boots on the ground during construction through Opening Day 2004. At the time, it felt like just part of the job, but looking back—you realize you helped usher in a new generation of Phillies baseball.
You said the new park helped shift the whole mindset of the franchise. How so?
Before that, Phillies baseball was known for a long history, but also a lot of losing. The new ballpark brought new optimism. And then, when those homegrown guys—Utley, Rollins, Howard, Hamels—came up, it wasn’t just hope anymore. We had a real shot. Ed Wade built the core, Pat Gillick finished it off, and Jimmy Rollins said it best in 2008: “We’re the team to beat.” The fans believed it. The city believed it. And we won it all that year.
You’ve had front-row seats to it all—100-loss seasons, a World Series title. What’s the difference when the team is winning?
It changes everything. It makes our jobs easier—but also harder, in a good way. You want to take care of your loyal fans, not just the ones jumping on the bandwagon. And when you have 3 million fans two years in a row? That’s hard to do. You need 37,000 people every night. It takes real commitment from ownership, too—first Dave Montgomery, then John Middleton. They both genuinely care. That trickles down through everything.
Speaking of commitment—you were part of the team that helped transition fans from the Vet to Citizens Bank Park. What was that process like?
Daunting. We sent out paper surveys, made phone calls, and answered questions—even when we didn’t have all the answers. We took it seriously. We told longtime season ticket holders exactly where they’d be sitting. And we were transparent the whole way. Year One, people weren’t sure about the outfield. Then they sat there and realized, “I’m five feet from the players!” The next year, everybody wanted those seats.
That’s incredible. You also visited other stadiums before building CBP. What stood out?
We visited Pittsburgh, among others. I remember being mesmerized by the grass. We had turf at the Vet—it was like concrete. The grass alone felt magical. But more than that, we learned what worked and what didn’t. We didn’t want to just copy—we wanted to do it better. And we focused hard on making that transition seamless for fans.
When you guys clinch a playoff spot, you’re out there celebrating too. What does that mean for you?
Everything. We may be on the business side, but we’re fans too. We give up summers, holidays. So when it all pays off—and you’re spraying champagne or riding down Broad Street on a parade float? That feeling is unreal. I’d trade the rings for that ride any day. It’s something I’ll never forget.
Last thing—what makes the Phillies feel like a family?
It started with Dave Montgomery. He knew everyone’s name, their kids’ names. He made that the standard. John Middleton picked up that mantle and runs with it. He’s out there handing out baseballs on top of the dugout. That tells you everything. We live by “The Phillies Way”—it’s how we treat our people, our fans, our city. You treat people right, they’ll stick with you. And they have.
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More from Tony Burns
NOTE: The above was edited for clarity and length.
You can read the full transcript here.