Report: MLB to alter uniforms after widespread complaints from players, fans

Just in time for the Met Gala.

After widespread complaints and fashion faux-pas were the talk of spring training, MLB is finally addressing the problems with their new uniforms and is set to make modifications, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Sunday night.

According to a memo received by Passan from the MLB Players Association, the most prominent modifications will include larger lettering on the back of jerseys, fixing mismatched grey colour schemes and addressing the new jerseys’ tendency to collect sweat.

MLB put the blame primarily on Nike and the debut of their new Vapor Premier uniforms which has been widely disliked by players so far.

“This has been entirely a Nike issue,” the memo said. “At its core, what has happened here is that Nike was innovating something that didn’t need to be innovated.”

The first glimpse of baseball’s new uniforms was a bit too revealing, as white shirts and pants appeared see-through and there was a lack of tailoring. The lettering of the players’ nameplates had also shrunk, which according to Passan gave the jerseys “an amateur look.”

The memo also “absolved Fanatics” of the matter according to Passan. The union said that Fanatics, the manufacturer of the uniforms, “recognizes the vital importance of soliciting Player feedback, obtaining Player buy-in and not being afraid to have difficult conversations about jerseys or trading cards.”

Fanatics hopes that “Nike will take a similar approach.”

Nike became the league’s official uniform supplier in 2019 as part of a 10-year, $1 billion deal with MLB.

Both MLB and Nike declined to comment on the matter when reached out to by ESPN.

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