Philly’s hottest bag is the Phillies x Hello Kitty night belt bag dropping this September
While this is the Phils’ first foray into Hello Kitty night, the belt bag is already a highly coveted item across MLB.
This (baseball) season’s hottest bag is the Hello Kitty x Phillies licensed belt bag, available in limited quantities.
The Phillies announced that its 2025 promotional and theme night schedule will include a Hello Kitty night. And the included giveaway is considered extremely desirable among some fans, particularly the girlypops and fashionistas.
The first 3,000 fans to purchase tickets for the Sept. 9 game against the Mets through the Phillies’ official portal get a voucher to receive an exclusive Hello Kitty belt bag (or fanny pack, depending on your generational slang).
The mock-up design resembles the ever-popular Lululemon Everywhere bag — which has been sported by everyone from Kylie Kelce to your neighbor on her most recent hot girl walk — but in a fuzzy white sherpa fabric with a pastel pink strap that alternates between Phillies and Hello Kitty logos.
And make no mistake, while this is the Phils’ first foray into Hello Kitty night, the belt bag is already a coveted item across the MLB. Last year, the L.A. Dodgers had its version of the bag available for Hello Kitty night. It instantly went viral with bags hitting resale markets and being listed for hundreds of dollars.
To this day, there are dozens of Dodgers Hello Kitty night bags listed on sites like eBay, Depop, and Poshmark in the triple digits. Filtered eBay listings reveal that the bags have sold for as much as $175.
Which means that those hoping to snag the Phillies version of the bag may want to act fast, especially since word is spreading.
“A formal PSA that the Phillies are finally having a Hello Kitty night,” said Fiona, a local TikToker who posted about the game and giveaway this week. “Look at the giveaway … I need that right now.”
Fiona didn’t respond to a request for comment as of publication time. Her video, which walks users through the voucher process, has been viewed nearly 45,000 times and is flooded with comments from eager Phillies fans describing their “need” for the bag.
And the Phillies appear to have noticed that attention.
The website to purchase a voucher for the bag initially said 1,000 would be available. This week, the number was boosted to 2,000. As of Friday, Phillies spokesperson Deb Rinaldi said the number was increased to 3,000.
“We’re excited that fans have shown great interest in this inaugural theme night,” Rinaldi said.
The Phillies are one of several MLB teams this season to offer a Hello Kitty day or night. Others include the Seattle Mariners, Atlanta Braves, and the Toronto Blue Jays.
But not every team with a Hello Kitty night gets the coveted belt bag. The Mariners will have bucket hats, the Braves had a special bobblehead, and the Blue Jays will have a limited-edition backpack that appears to have already sold out ahead of the game. Notably, the Boston Red Sox offered a now-sold-out VIP package with a sweatshirt, crossbody bag, and photo ops.
MLB’s history with Hello Kitty and the famous character’s Japanese parent company, Sanrio, dates back at least a decade (though an exact start date is hard to pinpoint).
In 2014, Sanrio announced it was expanding its Hello Kitty MLB collection to include representation of all 30 teams. The themed merch line included licensed Hello Kitty items with the respective teams’ logos and were available at in-stadium stores, box stores, and MLB.com.
“Major League Baseball and Hello Kitty both have an avid, passionate fan base,” Sanrio senior director for brand management David Marchi said at the time.
Last year, Hello Kitty herself threw out the first pitch for the Dodgers’ version of the theme night. It was part of a celebration for the kawaii kitty’s 50th anniversary in 2024. Fans were given paper crowns, and the character received a birthday cake. Sanrio partnered with several major league sports teams across baseball, basketball, and soccer to present Hello Kitty nights.
Craig Takiguchi, chief operating officer of Sanrio Inc., said the MLB theme nights are a way to “bridge two authentic fandoms.”
It’s unclear if Hello Kitty herself will attend the Phillies game in September or what other programming is in store for the theme night. Rinaldi with the Phillies advised checking back closer to the game — a reasonable request given Hello Kitty night is still five months away, but hey, people are excited!
Hello Kitty night tickets that are redeemable for the bag voucher are $45 to $78. Vouchers and giveaway instructions are included with the purchase of a ticket.