As Major League Baseball’s 2024 season approaches, the league has unveiled its highly anticipated new on-field Vapor Premier uniforms.
The jerseys, designed by Nike, have been met with mixed reviews from both players and fans. Pitchers Rich Hill and Miles Mikolas have been vocal about their dislike for the jerseys, citing their smaller font for names and numbers as well as their “cheap” appearance. However, MLB’s senior vice president of global consumer products, Denis Nolan, maintains that the uniforms are of top quality.
Nolan, in a statement to MLB.com, emphasized the league’s confidence in Fanatics, the company that acquired Majestic, which has been manufacturing player uniforms for nearly two decades. According to Nolan, Fanatics has consistently produced “world-class” uniforms, including all Nike-branded on-field jerseys since 2020. Despite some pushback from players and fans, MLB stands by the new uniforms and is confident in their design and performance.
Stephen Roche, another executive on MLB’s global consumer products team, sheds light on the reasoning behind the change in uniforms. Roche explains that the new uniforms have undergone extensive testing, with over 300 players being body-scanned and hundreds more trying them out last year in the All-Star Game. The result? Jerseys with 25% more stretch and a better overall fit.
One of the biggest changes to the new jerseys is the tighter adherence to Nike’s standard color schemes. Roche says that this is the first time all the colors have matched exactly with the hats and on-field colors, a detail that may have gone unnoticed by some but is a significant improvement for the league. To achieve this, Fanatics measured every player last year, ensuring that the new jerseys would be a perfect fit.
Some players, like defending NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr., have already sung praises for the new jerseys. Acuña says that they “fit better and feel lighter,” a welcome change for a player who values freedom of movement on the field. With the new jerseys designed to be more performance-driven, Acuña and others are optimistic about their impact on their game.
The new jerseys have not only been tested for performance but also for comfort and durability. According to MLB, the focus was on ensuring that the players felt “free” while wearing the jerseys, whether they were running the bases or making plays in the outfield. The league has also taken note of players’ preferences and worked to incorporate them into the new design.
While the new jerseys have been met with skepticism from some players and fans, Nike and MLB are standing by their decision to revamp the on-field uniforms. As with any major change, there will always be some resistance. However, with the extensive testing and improvements made to the jerseys, it is clear that both Nike and MLB are committed to providing top-quality uniforms for their players.
As the 2024 MLB season approaches, fans can look forward to seeing their favorite teams decked out in the new Vapor Premier jerseys. And while they may differ in opinion on the new look, one thing is for sure – the league is always striving to improve and provide the best for its players and fans alike.
With the extensive research and effort put into the new jerseys, it is clear that MLB is dedicated to staying at the forefront of uniform design and performance.
