The upcoming MLB season has been met with lots of controversy regarding the new uniforms issued out by Fanatics. For 15 years, Majestic was the sole producer of MLB Jerseys, which were generally liked and well received. However, Fanatics obtained the rights to the jerseys this past year, and what they have done with them has created outroar from both the fans, and players.
The quality of the Fanatics jerseys were initially questioned when the first pictures were released by MLB, and the fans immediately began to complain. The main gripe of fans was the noticeable decrease in the size of the letters on the back of the jersey, making it look more akin to a cheap replica jersey than the official ones the players would wear on the field.
The issues only continued to grow when players began spring training, and the jerseys were seen in action for the first time. Not only were the letters on the back cheap looking, but the shoulder patches and lettering of the logos was noticeably lower quality than the years prior. As soon as the players tried the jerseys on the issues only began to grow. Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner addressed the jerseys in an interview, saying “Everyone hates them”.
Just when the hate for the new jerseys started to die down, the spring training games started, and the new pants were seen for the first time. In certain lightings the pants appeared to be semi-transparent, creating massive outroar from fans and players alike.
James Renz, a sophomore at BHS and avid baseball fan called the new jerseys “Shockingly awful,” going as far to say they were “maybe the worst downgrade [he’s] ever seen”. This is not an uncommon feeling among BHS students, as almost every MLB fan has a gripe with them.
Not only are the quality of the jerseys far worse than before, but the prices have skyrocketed as well. A jersey that would usually cost around $120 has inflated to over $175 and in some extreme cases all the way up to 400 dollars.
Whether Fanatics and Major League Baseball will fix these issues remains to be seen, but it is clearly something that must be dealt with. As the season rapidly approaches, only time will tell whether the wardrobe issues will continue, or be forgotten about amidst the exciting season to come.
