The NHL will have a new jersey partner starting in 2024 and hockey fans aren’t real happy about it.
On Tuesday, the NHL announced that Fanatics will be replacing Adidas as the league’s on-ice jersey outfitter and retail supplier, beginning with the 2024-25 season. The deal is set to run for 10 years — until 2035 — and will be the first time the Fanatics logo will appear on game uniforms in professional sports.
The news also means that the Reverse Retro jerseys — helmed by Adidas — will be retired once Fanatics takes over for the 2024-25 season and beyond.
Fanatics already has a preexisting partnership with the NHL dating back to 2017, so this new deal between the two isn’t completely coming out of nowhere.
Coming 2024: NHL 🤝 Fanatics
A new on-ice uniform partner across the NHL starting 2024-25. 😎 pic.twitter.com/rxpdpXgiFG
— NHL (@NHL) March 21, 2023
However, hockey fans are extremely disappointed with the news. Fanatics has been the manufacturer of official NHL merchandise for some time now, and many fans have been vocal about their poor experience with gear from the company. From incorrect orders to poor item quality, Fanatics has not inspired confidence from hockey fans with its service over the years.
And, as expected, hockey fans did not take well to the news of this long-term deal between the NHL and Fanatics.
They went with FANATICS?!? https://t.co/HKqLlzvy00 pic.twitter.com/ZoBQepA1KE
— The Jersey Finder- TJF (@TheJerseyFinder) March 21, 2023
https://t.co/B7T4sLDvsg pic.twitter.com/gpJm95IM2k
— Chris Ostrander (@2ITB_Buffalo) March 21, 2023
Truly don't think there's a sports fan alive who buys team apparel that thinks highly of Fanatics. That should say something.
— Charlie O'Connor (@charlieo_conn) March 21, 2023
does Fanatics use low quality materials? yes. do they lack any type of creativity in their apparel designs? yes. have they monopolized the sports apparel market in a very gross way? yes ma’am. and does their brand just look overall cheap and bad? you betcha.
— Mike Stephens (@mikeystephens81) March 21, 2023
The united response to the NHL/Fanatics deal is a glaring indicator that the league doesn’t actually know/care what fans want, no matter what Gary says. The NHL boxing themselves into another 10-year deal after the NBC TV deal tells you they haven’t learned, either.
— Rachel Doerrie (@racheldoerrie) March 21, 2023
I’ve had zero good experiences with Fanatics merchandise and that they’ve cornered so many exclusive deals in such a wide range of products raises more eyebrows than anything. All of it stinks and none of it makes any sense.
— Joe Yerdon (@JoeYerdon) March 21, 2023
I love how they knew people would dislike the Fanatics jersey announcement so much that they dropped it at like 6:50 AM EST. No league out there like the NHL. They just get it.
— Petrov McGuire (@McguirePetrov) March 21, 2023
this is a bad decision https://t.co/fNBHXYIScg
— CJ Fogler AKA Perc70 #BlackLivesMatter (@cjzero) March 21, 2023
I feel like Fanatics has only existed for like a decade and they've captured and ruined the sports apparel market for every single league on the planet, how is this possible? https://t.co/8M2cIyKjle
— mike (@ColdSportsTakes) March 21, 2023
joke league https://t.co/n1zyrj3Mr8
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) March 21, 2023
