Nike:
The 2020 season marks the first on-field example of Nike's partnership with Major League Baseball (MLB) as its official uniform provider. The partnership ... marks a new chapter for Nike's innovative legacy in uniform design, long built on upholding critical nuances across sport steeped in tradition and fervent allegiances.What a steaming load of shite.
"We're excited to kick off our partnership with Major League Baseball with the unveil of next season's uniforms," says Hal Melhart, Sr. Product Line Manager for Nike Diamond. "Each franchise has a deeply personal history, with a visual identity that continues in this update. In the future, we look forward to preserving this integrity while still bringing more of Nike's creativity to uniform designs, as we build energy around the game for its players and its fans."
Nike sees a sport "steeped in tradition", teams with a "deeply personal history", and decides the best way to "preserv[e] this integrity" is by
MLB will pay Nike the grand sum of One Billion Dollars for the privilege of desecrating its uniforms with the "swoosh" for the next ten years. Each team will pocket about $3 million per season (and thus be able to afford an additional pitcher for mop-up duty in blowouts).
Rob Manfred respects Nike's "reputation as a leader in driving innovation". The swoosh is, of course, only the next step down a slope to which Manfred is applying a thick coating of grease. MLB uniforms have had a small Majestic logo on the sleeve since 2005 and the side of every cap has featured a New Era logo since the 2016 postseason.
Looking ahead, MLB is highly interested in selling "ad patches" on uniforms beginning in 2022. Noah Garden, MLB executive vice president of business and sales, says that glorious innovation is "inevitable".
My sources tell me Manfred initially wanted to go with this design, but decided to bide his time:
"MLB will pay Nike the grand sum of One Billion Dollars for the privilege of desecrating its uniforms..."
ReplyDeleteI don't get it. Shouldn't Nike be paying MLB?
I'm really not looking forward to North American major league sports teams jerseys being peppered with advertisements in the next ten years along the line of NASCAR drivers and cars.
ReplyDeleteMLB will pay Nike the grand sum of One Billion Dollars for the privilege of desecrating its uniforms with the "swoosh" for the next ten years.
ReplyDeleteMLB pays Nike, or Nike pays MLB?
Disgusting, but in hindsight, predictable. Prop betting to wile away the time during 3 minute commercial breaks just around the corner. It almost makes you miss the used-car salesman.
ReplyDelete"I'm really not looking forward to North American major league sports teams jerseys being peppered with advertisements in the next ten years along the line of NASCAR drivers and cars."
ReplyDeleteThe NBA is in their third year of ads on jerseys already.
NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteFuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.
Sure, predictable, maybe inevitable. But fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.