Pope Francis plush doll created by Plymouth Meeting company

PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. (WPVI) -- A company in Montgomery County is producing a cute and cuddly version of the leader of the Catholic Church to celebrate Philadelphia's upcoming visit from Pope Francis.

It was 5 years ago in a Plymouth Meeting bullpen that Matthew Hoffman brought the first Bleacher Creature into the world.

SOT Matthew Hoffman, Pres, Bleacher Creatures 620

"I was at a phillies game and I was looking at Chase Utley and I said: 'If Chase Utley was a Muppet what would he look like?'," said Hoffman.

Inspired by his three daughters and his love of the game, Hoffman and his team use pictures and videos to "Bleacherize" some of the industry's biggest stars.

The business started in sports with the iconic athletes Lebron James and Sydney Crosby.

Add now, standing tall between superheroes like Iron Man and Philly's own fighter Rocky Balboa stands another leader from a different realm.

"We wanted him to be a part of the Bleacher Creature universe with our athletes and our heroes," said Hoffman.

And Hoffman says they were working on the part action figure/part plush pope protoype long before the news of our visitor from the Vatican.

"We needed a referee!" he said.

"They've already sold 50,000 pontiff dolls, with orders coming in from as close to home as City Hall to the faithful across the globe.

"We have been inspired by the pope. We love his message of being inclusive and that inspired us," said Hoffman.

Bleacher Creatures says the pope is so popular - or shall we say pope-ular - that he's selling out fast.

For more information, visit: http://www.bleachercreatures.com/