1 MLB team is successfully resisting the tiny lettering on the back of their new Fanatics-produced Nike jerseys

The MLB jerseys produced by Fanatics for Nike have become a huge problem for the league, between see-through pants and the tiny letters on the back that players have complained about.

But one team has successfully resisted the tiny-letter issue: The Kansas City Royals.

Eagle-eyed Paul Lukas of Uni Watch took note of some Royals jerseys in spring training that had lettering that looked perfectly large … and sure enough, it’s a thing!

Lukas spoke with the team’s VP of communications and discovered that the Royals made a case despite the fact that there was no choice given to teams about lettering size:

• The Royals like the new uniforms but felt strongly about maintaining the full-sized lettering as a way for fans to connect with the team’s players, so they worked with Nike and MLB to make that possible.
• This was not a case of teams being presented with a choice of lettering sizes. There was no choice at all — everyone was supposed to get the smaller letters. The Royals essentially got a waiver because they lobbied hard for it. (This is similar to what Cardinals prexy Bill DeWitt III told me about how he lobbied hard to keep the team’s chain-stitched chest script.)

Pretty awesome. Does this mean that other teams will now ask for standard lettering? And would that mean producers would comply?

Or, perhaps, they’ll never be Royals.

EXCLUSIVE: Why the Royals Are Using Full-Size NOB Lettering https://t.co/J2ox62ETM1

— Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) February 27, 2024