Report: Nike to Take Over MLB Uniforms in 2020

[FiddySicks]

I don’t have the numbers in front of me right now, but back during the Reebok days NFL hats sold at a fraction of what they do now. A lot of that had to do with the poor quality of the product, bad designs, and the fact that Reebok was really piss poor when it came to distribution. New Era wanted that contract BAD, and Nike basically didn’t think the profit margins were going to be worth the upbid New Era would force. Needless to say, NFL hats have sold tremendously better since the NE switch, and now Nike has changed their tune on headwear. They also are one of the few that have the $$$ available to buy out an entire company to facilitate that, if need be. I would assume, anyway. 

 

 

A lot of this is pieced together from memory and experience working with Nike vendors through several different companies. Nike wants to control the entire sports apparel market if they can, and New Era is one of the few left standing in their way. 

[SilverBullet1929]

Why do people keep saying the uniform manufacturer will radically change the look of MLB uniforms?

 

They'll be making the uniforms, not designing them right?

 

This seems equivalent to worrying the taste of Coca Cola will change because they changed who produces the aluminum cans.

 

I'm also not trying to be funny, it's a serious question.

[WSU151]

2 minutes ago, SilverBullet1929 said:

Why do people keep saying the uniform manufacturer will radically change the look of MLB uniforms?

 

They'll be making the uniforms, not designing them right?

 

This seems equivalent to worrying the taste of Coca Cola will change because they changed who produces the aluminum cans.

 

I'm also not trying to be funny, it's a serious question.

 

I think Nike will be in on the design process for new MLB identities (and alternates), as they are with NFL and NBA.

[SportsLogos.Net News]

Report: Nike to Take Over MLB Uniforms in 2020

May 24, 2018 - 18:31 PM

According to a report today over at the Sports Business Journal, Major League Baseball is about to enter into an agreement with Nike to be the official on-field uniform provider for the league’s thirty teams. The deal is a surprise […]

Read More...

[JerseyJimmy]

This is somehow even worse than Under Armour.

[SilverBullet1929]

2 minutes ago, WSU151 said:

 

I think Nike will be in on the design process for new MLB identities (and alternates), as they are with NFL and NBA.

I still doubt that means much. They can sit in and give input but I'm pretty sure the teams still will make their final decisions as always. People are making it sound like Nike is gonna swoop in and just change every team's uniforms to their own radical designs. Again, the whole thing says they'll be the manufacturer, not the designer.

[OnWis97]

1 hour ago, WSU151 said:

 

I think Nike will be in on the design process for new MLB identities (and alternates), as they are with NFL and NBA.

Probably.  I find it odd that people would just dismiss the idea that Nike's going to use a couple as Nike canvasses the way they did with the Seahawks and have done a few times since.  I don't see changes to the Yankees, Cardinals, Tigers home, Cubs home, etc.  But I could totally see an off-the-wall Rays alt, a brand new never-thought-of-before color scheme for the Padres, or the Nats in Expos-inspired powder blue with racing stripes.

 

Oh, and if you want an Oakland A's green alternate, better buy it in the next couple of years.

[M4One]

1 hour ago, buzzcut said:

And the countdown for the NHL to dump Adidas for Nike begins in 5,,,4,,,3,,,2,,,2,,,2,,,2,,,

 

5, 4, 3, 2, 1 years?  They signed a 7 year deal, so dumping Adidas for Nike ain't happening any time soon.

 

 

[LakeShow24]

Nike is now with 3 major NA professional sports leagues. Crazy.

[M4One]

52 minutes ago, SilverBullet1929 said:

Why do people keep saying the uniform manufacturer will radically change the look of MLB uniforms?

 

They'll be making the uniforms, not designing them right?

 

This seems equivalent to worrying the taste of Coca Cola will change because they changed who produces the aluminum cans.

 

I'm also not trying to be funny, it's a serious question.

 

It's unlikely the uniforms will be radically different.  However, you can never say never.  See NHL and Reebok and the disasters that came from the edge makeover, though hockey uniforms lend itself to more radical designs than a baseball uniform.

 

In the end, it will be up to the teams to thumbs up or down any radical designs Nike wants to push on them.

[TBGKon]

22 minutes ago, M4One said:

 

It's unlikely the uniforms will be radically different.  However, you can never say never.  See NHL and Reebok and the disasters that came from the edge makeover, though hockey uniforms lend itself to more radical designs than a baseball uniform.

 

In the end, it will be up to the teams to thumbs up or down any radical designs Nike wants to push on them.

Agreed, there might be some outliers (along the lines of the recent Diamondbacks rebranding), but traditionally I wouldnt expect a massive overhaul.

[Clintau24]

My thing with Nike is their logo placement bounces around like crazy. And not just from left to right, but up and and down. I've seen some jerseys with it placed around the headspoon, and others way too low. Just a few examples:

 

 

And then there's this year's Arkansas throwbacks, with the logo sitting on top of the number.

 

Nike also has terrible placement on their pants

 

 

 

Under Armour has, as far as I know, generally kept there logo on the same spot. In Auburn's case, the logo has appeared on the left side, but that's the rarity.

 

 

Under Armour did move their pants logo from above the back pocket to the front hip this season. I figured it was a bit of a precursor to the MLB deal, at the time.

[kroywen]

Thanks for merging topics right as I'm submitting a reply, causing my reply to be lost in the abyss. 

 

I fully expect a couple teams to get the full 'Nike treatment,' and a few others to get completely off-the-wall alternates. It's happened with every contract Nike has won so far. A team looking to rebrand, or at the very least looking to juice merchandise sales, might jump at the chance for Nike designers to unveil something 'trendy' and 'exciting' and 'cutting edge.'

 

The Diamondbacks are almost certainly the prime candidate (though that might actually be an upgrade over their current duds), and I can see the Rays or Marlins jumping at it as well (keep in mind, as much as Jeter seems like a traditionalist, he's also a longtime Nike/Jordan guy). There's usually one or two surprises as well (who saw the Browns coming?).

 

Will baseball have a league-wide set of crazy alternates, a la the NBA and NFL? We'll see - I'd expect some sort of league-wide set of alternates (maybe with a few hold outs - Yankees, Dodgers, Cardinals, Tigers, etc.), but I wouldn't expect them to be quite as 'out there' as Color Rush or as the myriad of bizarre NBA alts. No question that alts will be branded league-wide, similar to Color Rush or City jerseys, but that may simply include existing alts.

[BC985]

2 hours ago, bowld said:

God I hope not. New Era makes the best hats in the world. Would hate to see Nike take over the hat game

 

Depends on what version of Nike hats MLB would allow. My Nike made official USC Baseball hat is awesome, and I’m a New Era guy. With that said, Nike has tried to force veneration into their baseball hats and they look terrible. 

[pepis21]

So if Nike will signing with MLB then what about Fanatics? IIRC Fanatics was supposed to make replica shirts like in NHL.

 

PS: Out of topic, why you didn't enlarge Big Four to Big Five adding MLS to this group?

[Clintau24]

Players Week uniforms are gonna be *fire* guys

[WSU151]

9 minutes ago, pepis21 said:

So if Nike will signing with MLB then what about Fanatics? IIRC Fanatics was supposed to make replica shirts like in NHL.

 

PS: Out of topic, why you didn't enlarge Big Four to Big Five adding MLS to this group?

 

Fanatics will be manufacturing all the retail jerseys and apparel, and plant Nike's logo on them, just like the new NFL deal.

[skip88]

Damn, wonder what will happen to the employees  at Majestic, will they still be making the jerseys. Remember they first were scared by the UA deal, then relived when told the jerseys would still be made by them. Now we go though this again?

[HOOVER]

4 hours ago, bowld said:

God I hope not. New Era makes the best hats in the world. Would hate to see Nike take over the hat game

 

I disagree completely.  I love the way New Era caps look and are built, but I can't wear one for comfort for more than a minute.  Nike's headwear is aces.

[HOOVER]

I know I'm a Nike homer but it's based off of actual experience, and this is a good deal for MLB.  I expect them to respect tradition (Yankees, Pirates, Cubs, etc.), improve the identities of teams with bad branding, provide some league-wide themed alternates, and generally improve the fit, feel, and function of the uniform.  Their fabrics are much lighter and have a better finish than what Majestic is still using, and what UA sells now also. 

 

Still, at the end of it, they'll look better, but I don't think you'll see drastic changes.