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Nike is reportedly mad that several New York Yankees players have been wearing another brand of clothing during the World Series.
It is no secret that the new “advanced” uniforms that Nike and Fanatics made for the 2024 Major League Baseball season have been hot garbage.
The pants have been see-through (and fall apart), the material and lettering looks cheap, and a whole bunch of players hate them.
They have been so bad that MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, who is usually glacier-like in speed when it comes to making any positive changes, decided to get rid of them after just one season.
“MLB’s new Nike Vapor Premier jersey design was introduced in 2024 to improve mobility and fit,” Major League Baseball said in a press release four weeks ago. “MLB, Nike and Fanatics partnered with the Major League Baseball Players’ Association to conduct a leaguewide survey to determine how best to move forward following criticism from some corners about the more lightweight look and smaller letters.
“After receiving feedback, all parties set about addressing the players’ requests for enlarged letters for player names, embroidered sleeve patches and reverting back to full pant customization.”
When Derek Jeter asked prior to Game 1 of the World Series why some Yankees players were wearing non-Nike turtlenecks, Aaron Judge told him, “We had to go old school, man. That’s when it was made with some quality.”
This development has apparently made Nike very unhappy.
Nike hasn’t been thrilled about the Yankees’ use of clothing from a different brand, multiple team sources told The Athletic. In 2019, Nike and Fanatics made a 10-year agreement with MLB to ensure that Nike would be the sole provider of on-field uniforms. Earlier this season, Nike and Fanatics came under fire when players ripped their newly designed jerseys for everything from their look to their feel.
On the other hand, according to a source within Major League Baseball, the league is “comfortable” with the Yankees wearing the old school Majestic Athletic clothes because they were previously issued and kept in stock.
“Old-school Majestic is the way to go,” said Yankees starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt. “…It looks dope and it fits (well).”
Schmidt added, “A lot of us like the vintage look and it’s warm. It’s the material. It’s like a thicker cotton. It’s just when you’re at home, or Cleveland was really cold too. But, obviously, the feel of it. It’s the classic Yankees look.”