The NHL has revealed Jersey supplier to replace Adidas and you might not be too happy about the decision
Ever since the announcement that Adidas would no longer be designing and supplying the NHL with jerseys beyond next season, fans have speculated as to which brand would replace them. The NHL announced today that it will be Fanatics taking over manufacturing duties. Fanatics already makes a line of replica jerseys and a wide selection of the casual fan wear at the NHL shop. The new NHL/Fanatics deal runs for 10 years, through the 2034-35 season.
I don't mind the idea as much as others seem to, but I soured on Adidas when I found out the near $300 "authentic" jerseys I was buying weren't the same as the ones the players were wearing. I must say though, the Leafs' Reverse Retro 2.0 jersey is among my all time favourites.
Fanatics is actually the manufacturer of the Nike branded uniforms worn by MLB and NFL players. So having them go from just making replica wear to making the official stuff is kind of a no brainer. Make no mistake, the official jerseys will be of a higher quality than the Breakaway line they currently sell. In fact, they plan to use the same factory in Quebec as Adidas did to make all of their game worn jerseys.
Although Fanatics has said that they don't plan to change the design of the uniforms much, if at all, I'm excited to see what sort of third jersey designs they are able to come up with. They've also said that starting in 2026-27, they will be changing some of the materials, with the aim being to reduce skate lacerations like the one we saw with Evander Kane this season.
I know that some fans will be concerned about product quality, and have a hard time seeing Fanatics as more than a replica jersey manufacturer. I think those fans will be in for a pleasant surprise when we finally see the on-ice product. If it doesn't work out? Well, at least my Adidas jerseys will become more valuable!
| POLL | ||
MARS 21 | 197 ANSWERS The NHL has revealed Jersey supplier to replace Adidas and you might not be too happy about the decision Will you buy the Fanatics «Authentic» NHL jerseys? | ||
| No, I'll buy the cheaper ones | 74 | 37.6 % |
| Yes, as long as they are good quality | 53 | 26.9 % |
| Depends on the designs | 40 | 20.3 % |
| I buy mine from China | 30 | 15.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
