New uniform designs drawing plenty of scrutiny during opening days of spring training (2024)

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New uniform designs drawing plenty of scrutiny during opening days of spring training? ›

MLB officials say these uniforms improve mobility by providing 25% more stretch and also will dry 28% faster. The lettering, sleeve emblems and numbering are less bulky in an attempt to make uniforms more breathable and comfortable. Commissioner Rob Manfred says he expects criticism to fade.

First, Nike lowered the MLB logo. The lettering is significantly smaller. And the uniform number, also smaller in most cases, was perforated for optimal airflow. “Something about the smaller lettering just doesn't look major league,” Lukas said, “and there's been no explanation for why.

Fanatics has produced Nike's jerseys since 2020 out of the same Easton, Pa., factory where Majestic's uniforms were made. A spokesperson for Fanatics, which manufactures the uniforms but has no hand in the design or engineering, declined to comment.

The Nike MLB City Connect Series celebrates the deep-rooted history, culture and spirit of each city that continues to bring the clubs and their communities together. This season, nine clubs across the U.S. and Canada will debut City Connect jerseys, with the Phillies' jersey the first to debut in 2024.

On Tuesday, Major League Baseball and Nike announced that nine clubs will release new City Connect uniforms during the 2024 season. Between Opening Day and the All-Star Break, the Guardians, Tigers, Dodgers, Twins, Mets, Phillies, Cardinals, Rays and Blue Jays will unveil new City Connect uniforms.

The issue of fabric so sheer it seemed transparent cropped up in late February when players began having their photos taken at spring training, which gave fans — and some players — their first glimpse of M.L.B.'s new uniforms, which were designed by Nike and produced by the sports memorabilia behemoth Fanatics.

Thematically aligned with other on-field rules such as the ban on extreme defensive shifts, the league's move to lighter, more flexible uniforms is aimed in part at showcasing players' athleticism. The new uniforms also feature greater levels of moisture wicking compared to prior ones.

The MLB announced the uniforms, which have been redesigned by Nike for all of the league's 30 teams, in a press release last Tuesday. It included praise from some of the biggest baseball names on Nike's endorsem*nt roster.

Majestic Athletic, Ltd. U.S. Fanatics, Inc. Majestic was the official on-field uniform of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2005 until December 2019, when it was replaced by Nike.

Nike was tasked with designing the new uniforms, while Fanatics – which had acquired Majestic in 2017 – would produce the jerseys using the same factories that had handled Majestic's jerseys for several years.

Do MLB players keep their jerseys? ›

Generally, when a Major League Baseball (MLB) player is traded or cut, they do not get to keep their game-worn jerseys and hats. These items are considered team property, and players are required to return them to the team equipment manager at the end of the season or when they leave the team.

Uniforms are washed, mended and pressed to look as new every game. From a article of CNN: Mitch Poole, clubhouse manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers "uniforms used to be scrubbed until the fabric resembled fur. But now they use an industrial stain remover specifically made for Major League called Slide Out".

The City Connect jerseys are meant to represent Philadelphia and are a love letter from the team. The Nike MLB City Connect jerseys are blue and yellow to represent the Philadelphia flag, removing their typical Philly red.

Below are the retired numbers for every Major League club. On April 15, 1997, every team in MLB retired No. 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson.

The Backstory. The new Nike uniforms have been in the works since 2018, the same year that Nike, Fanatics and MLB agreed to their current partnership, which itself had an unusual genesis: In 2016, Under Armour and Fanatics had a deal in place to take the contract from Majestic when it expired before the 2020 season.

The revamped unis — set to debut this season — are designed by Nike and manufactured by Fanatics with the intention to provide players more flexibility and breathability. The pants, however, are also see-through, which is something even MLB's biggest stars are having a hard time getting, well, behind.

Replica jerseys are a full-button jersey that feature the same design as authentic jerseys, but are made of less durable fabric. Unlike authentic jerseys, replicas do not have the MLB logo on the back and rather than being sewn on, letters and patches are of tackle twill that is ironed or silk-screened to the jersey.

The US sportswear giant's ten-year deal to supply kits for all MLB teams is worth US$1 billion and has been in effect since 2020.

The confusion over shipments add to a long list of embarrasing errors for Fanatics, Nike, and MLB, who entered into a 10-year partnership beginning in 2020 in which Nike would design the uniforms and Fanatics would produce them. The deal is reportedly worth more than $1 billion for Nike.

Nike partnered with Fanatics — which had purchased MLB's 2005-19 uniform supplier, Majestic, in April 2017 — to manufacture the jerseys. So the Nike jerseys are now produced by Fanatics, out of the same Pennsylvania factory where Majestic jerseys were once made.