"My shirt wore out after 3 washes" "Don't care about quality control": NHL fans react as Fanatics take over as official on-ice jersey provider

Much to the dismay of fans, the NHL will start using Fanatics as their on-ice jersey provider following the departure of Adidas this year.

The Michael Rubin-owned company has already earned criticism following their entry into the MLB, especially when images of the players clad in nearly see-through Fanatics-made jerseys circulated online.

In addition to the sheer fabric, the MLB uniforms didn't appear to hold up well when wet—leaving NHL fans fearful of experiencing the same fate.

While the league has taken steps to assure fans that there will be a seamless transition—with the same manufacturer handling jersey production—fans aren't sold.

In response to a post on Wednesday from NHL insider Frank Seravalli, who informed fans of the transition, many were quick to call out the company.

"There aren’t going to be many noticeable changes" - NHL chief branding officer discusses new partnership with Fanatics

Over the past year, MLB players formally raised concerns through the MLB Players Association regarding the quality of their jerseys under Fanatics. They also spoke about inconsistencies such as insignia placement.

In the case of the MLB, the jerseys were designed by Nike and manufactured by Fanatics. As for the NHL, the jerseys will continue to be manufactured by SP Apparel in Quebec, which has manufactured NHL jerseys for 50 years. They will reportedly use the same materials as before.

NHL chief branding officer Brian Jennings stated, in a quote relayed by the DailyFaceOff, his confidence that fans won't notice any changes to the on-ice jerseys:

“That’s a great word for it on multiple fronts. We believe we have the best jersey in pro sports, and the product on the ice is sacrosanct... There aren’t going to be many noticeable changes, and we have a lot of confidence in the factory in Quebec and the quality they put out, they have delivered for us again and again over the years.”

However, it seems like the concern among fans isn't that the NHL's on-ice jerseys will follow the same path as the MLB's; it's that fan apparel will see a decline in quality. While the transition for players may be seamless, it sounds like things might not be as smooth for fans.