The Phillies are suing two sports analytics firms to block them from selling their software to division rivals, a move the team claims would violate their contract for the companies' player evaluation data and other baseball operations tools, according to a federal lawsuit filed in Philadelphia.
Zelus Analytics and its parent company, Teamworks Innovations, have licensed their Titan Intelligence Platform to the Phillies since 2022. The team uses the firms' stat-driven insights to guide roster decisions, on-field strategy and other facets of the analytics movement that became a hallmark of MLB front offices in the 2000s.
In the lawsuit, the Phillies claim their contract with the companies has exclusive provisions restricting the Titan platform from being licensed to more than one MLB team per division.
When the Phillies exercised an option in February to extend their contract for the 2025 season, the team believed the club restrictions would remain in effect. Instead, the lawsuit contends the two software companies tried to "alter the scope of the exclusivity provisions" to allow parts of their proprietary platform to be shared with more teams — potentially including NL East rivals, Sportico reported.
"These exclusive analytical tools give the team’s front office a competitive advantage when determining player acquisition strategy, making personnel decisions, optimizing roster value, and maximizing on-field performance," the Phillies state in the lawsuit.
The Phillies are seeking a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction to prevent any of the Titan platforms from being licensed to teams outside the restrictions of their contract with the companies. The lawsuit also seeks unspecified compensatory damages for breach of contract.
Since 2022, the Phillies said they have paid more than $1.75 million for access to the Titan platform and their 2025 extension includes another $725,000 payment. If the two software companies are permitted to expand their licensing of the Titan platform, the Phillies contend the team would suffer "irreparable harm" that "cannot be adequately remedied by monetary damages alone."
Teamworks Innovations, based in Durham, North Carolina, and Zelus Analytics, based in San Antonio, provide analytics tools for both pro and college sports teams. The companies declined to comment on the lawsuit, which was filed March 14 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, but said in a statement that they look forward resolving the matter and are "proud to offer analytics capabilities so differentiated, impactful, and innovative that the Phillies have attempted to block (their) rivals from gaining access."
The Phillies open their 2025 season on the road against the Washington Nationals on Thursday, March 27. Their home opener will be Monday, March 31, when the Colorado Rockies visit Citizens Bank Park.
NOTE: This story was updated with a statement from Teamworks Innovations and Zelus Analytics.