January 19, 2018
Peco/Facebook
PECO announced on Friday that it will turn its lights green and display a soaring national bird ahead of the Eagles' NFC title bout with the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday night. But in a move seeped in superstition, the company said it will not run Eagles messaging on the crown lights atop its headquarters at 2301 Market St.
PECO has been known to use the crown lights atop its headquarters on 23rd and Market streets to flash messages of support for Philadelphia's sports teams come playoff time.
The company did this ahead of the Eagles' Super Bowl matchup with the New England Patriots in 2005 and the Phillies' bid for a second consecutive World Series title against the New York Yankees in 2009.
We all know how that turned out.
Pointing to those past failures, the electric utility announced on Friday that it will not run Eagles messaging on the crown lights in advance of the Birds' NFC title matchup with the Minnesota Vikings at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday night.
"Although PECO is rooting for the Eagles in Sunday’s NFC Championship game, PECO will not jinx the home team by using its name or logo to show support and pride before Sunday’s big game," the company said in a press release.
PECO has done this before.
The crown lights included no mention of the Phillies as they embarked on their World Series run in 2008.
The company opted not to run any messages of support for Villanova University's men's basketball team in 2016, either. You might remember the Wildcats winning the NCAA title in buzzer-beating fashion that spring.
PECO said "careful consideration and deliberation" went into Friday's decision. But the move certainly looks like a no-brainer on paper.
“It’s not a superstition if it’s true,” Doug Oliver, the company's director of communications, said in a statement, citing Comcast's famed move to break the so-called "Curse of Billy Penn" by placing a miniature William Penn statue atop the Comcast Center before the Phillies' 2008 season. "It’s perfectly evident to me that our city’s buildings play an important role in winning big games. So, we’re excited, but we’re not taking any chances."
In lieu of running Eagles messaging, the company plans to turn the crown lights green in the run-up to Sunday's 6:40 p.m. kickoff.
"Our familiar, national bird will be displayed soaring above the city along with a special surprise message to help rally support for the home team," the company added.
