Fanatics And Nike Are Already Trying to Fix MLB Jerseys

Brendan Menapace

We’ve seen instances where customer outrage is enough to change things. When those “customers” are Major League Baseball players, the issue gets resolved even faster, it turns out, as Spring Training is barely underway and Fanatics and Nike already announced that they’d fix the uniforms that players and fans hate so much.

Had this just been fans complaining about the quality in relation to the price tag, we’re not sure that things would have changed. But, as news spread that the players themselves couldn’t stand the look and feel of the new threads, designed by Nike but manufactured by Fanatics, we’re seeing results.

According to The Athletic, MLB Players Association executive director Tony Clark said this week that “work is being done to mitigate” the issue, though he didn’t provide specifics about what would be done by the time Opening Day rolls around later this month.

The most damning reviews came from people complaining about the small numbers, off-brand colors, bad fits, and see-through pants that made it look like players were wearing diapers when they tucked their jerseys in.

Not a great look | Credit: Getty Images by Mike Ehrmann

“I think the information and the experience that guys have on the ground is speaking for itself,” Clark said, according to The Athletic. “And we’re hopeful, at least based on solid public comments at this point, that work is being done to mitigate it being a topic of discussion any longer than necessary.”

Fanatics has had to deal with plenty of fan and customer backlash lately, especially after people received goods with bad print jobs or other mistakes.

Obviously, in sports, the highest profile customers are the players themselves. They are the ultimate end-user. So if they’re not happy, something needs to change.

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