MLB has heard the complaints about the 2024 uniforms and intends to take action.
But maybe not until 2025.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Sunday that a memo sent to players laid out plans to address the new Nike Vapor Premier uniforms that have been widely panned by fans, media and players since they were introduced in February.
The uniforms have draw criticism for myriad reasons, including mismatched colors, complaints about fabric and their propensity to become soaked in sweat. But the two most notable flaws are glaring. The smaller font on players’ nameplates has been condemned as amateurish.
And the pants? Well, they’re see-through.
Per Sunday’s report, MLB intends for all of those flaws to be fixed by the start 2025 season at the latest. The report cites a memo distributed to players by the MLB Players Association.
The memo squarely places the blame on Nike, which designed the uniforms. Per the report, it absolves Fanatics, which manufactures the uniforms and has drawn intense fire for its execution.
But MLB previously told the Athletic in a statement that Fanatics carried out design plans to “the exact specifications provided by Nike.” Sunday’s MLBPA memo echoes that sentiment.
“This has been entirely a Nike issue,” the memo reportedly reads. “At its core, what has happened here is that Nike was innovating something that didn’t need to be innovated.”
Nike offered previews of the Vapor Premier uniforms in prior years including at last season’s All-Star game. The design changes were intended to enhance performance. Instead they invited scorn. The MLBPA memo reportedly states that the union offered criticism of the uniforms to Nike prior to their wide 2024 rollout and that Nike ignored them.
“We cautioned Nike against various changes when they previewed them in 2022, particularly regarding pants,” the union memo read. “MLB had been, and has been, aware of our concerns as well. Unfortunately, until recently Nike’s position has essentially boiled down to — ‘nothing to see here, Players will need to adjust.'”
Neither Nike, Fanatics, MLB or the MLBPA have commented on the report as of Sunday evening.
It’s not clear from the report when the fixes might be made if they do arrive prior to 2025. An issue like see-through pants would seem to demand an expedited fix from a multi-billion industry. But it sounds there’s a chance that players might have to deal with it through the rest of the 2024 campaign.
Source Agencies
