Major League Baseball players have been faced with an unusual problem ahead of the new season: a malfunctioning wardrobe.
Players and fans have already voiced their concerns about the new jerseys being worn this season, and on Thursday, as spring training games got underway, MLB Players’ Association (MLBPA) executive director Tony Clark also shared concerns about the pants.
“A lot of the rhetoric is confirmation that the pants are see-through,” said Clark, according to ESPN. “It’s been an ongoing conversation where each day has yielded something new that doesn’t seem to make as much sense as you would like it.
“Universal concern,” Clark added, “is the pant.”
The jerseys of the new uniforms, which were designed by Nike and manufactured by Fanatics, have already drawn criticism from fans for looking cheap, feeling flimsy and having an unattractive design. A Baltimore Orioles player, meanwhile, compared the new jerseys to “a knockoff” from TJ Maxx.
“It’s disappointing that we’ve landed in a place where the uniforms are the topic of discussion,” said Clark.
In a press release, Nike said that it worked with more than 300 players to design a jersey that was more breathable, lightweight and stretchy.
The company is yet to respond to an earlier request for comment from CNN regarding criticism of the uniforms, while Fanatics declined to comment.
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Players also wore them during last season’s All-Star Game, and Nike and MLB said they were well received at the time.
“They’re designed to be performance wear as opposed to what’s been traditionally worn, so they are going to be different,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said about the uniforms.
“I think after people wear them a little bit, they’re going to be really popular.”
This year’s Opening Day is scheduled for March 28, though the LA Dodgers and the San Diego Padres are playing two regular season games in Seoul on March 20 and 21 – the first MLB games to be played in South Korea.
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