This story was originally published on PBJ.com.

The battle over the Phillie Phanatic continues.

The designers of the Phanatic shot back in court this week, filing a counterclaim against the Philadelphia Phillies over the use of the beloved mascot.

The 41-page counterclaim filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan says the team acknowledged that design firm Harrison/Erickson (H/E) owned the copyright to the Phanatic, and that the Phillies only filed a lawsuit to pressure the creators into accepting a lower offer to renew the agreement to use the mascot.

“Despite the twisted allegations of the complaint, it is undeniable that for four decades The Phillies absolutely knew and repeatedly acknowledged that [Harrison/Erickson] were the sole authors of Phanatic copyright,” the counterclaim said.

H/E is now asking a judge for a permanent injunction, saying the it will be “substantially and irreparably injured” if the Phillies infringe on the copyright it owns.

“H/E will seek all legal remedies available to it if The Phillies use the Phanatic in violation of the termination of the 1984 grant of rights,” the design firm said in its counterclaim.

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