Expect a seamless transition as Fanatics eases into NHL jersey production

Credit: Courtesy of Fanatics

LAS VEGAS — Given the hiccups with Major League Baseball, while hockey fans have spent the last 15 months fretting about Adidas passing the torch to Fanatics for today’s launch as the NHL’s official on-ice jersey provider next season, only one word can be used to describe the transition.

Seamless.

In fact, if hardcore fans don’t notice the Fanatics “F” logo on the back of every jersey in October, the change might not have registered at all. That’s by design. Every jersey will continue to be stitched using the same materials and by the same manufacturer, SP Apparel in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, that has made NHL jerseys for the last 50 seasons.

“That’s a great word for it on multiple fronts,” NHL chief branding officer Brian Jennings said. “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.”

Fanatics and the NHL jointly launched the new threads on Wednesday as the hockey world descended on Vegas, the first day of a 10-year pact. Players selected at the NHL Draft at Sphere on Friday and Saturday will be handed their team’s new Fanatics uniform.

Fanatics has been an NHL partner for nearly two decades now and fulfills the league’s online shop and e-commerce, as well as provides players and teams with “authentic pro” team-issued material, including t-shirts, hats, hoodies and toques that are worn before, during and after practice.

But this is Fanatics’ first foray into branding and providing the on-field or on-ice uniform for any of the four major pro North American sports.

“It was a prime objective for us to transition into uniforms,” said Keith Leach, GM and VP of Fanatics’ NHL and Canadian business. “Our longstanding relationship took a big step forward in 2018 when we acquired player rights for ‘next-to-skin’ apparel, we built trust, and this is a natural progression to presume a premier partner.”

Fanatics owns Majestic, the longtime MLB uniform supplier, but baseball uniforms are branded with the Nike swoosh – which led to a whole bunch of fingerpointing when players weren’t happy with jersey quality, see-through pants and small lettering that made uniforms look elementary.

They wanted to take a different approach. These new uniforms, which will be available for sale in September, have been in the hands of NHL equipment managers and players for months. They’ve felt them, tried them on, provided feedback and had a chance to get familiar with them.

Connor McDavid, Matthew Tkachuk, Connor Bedard, Auston Matthews and almost all the biggest names in the sport are familiar with the product switch to Fanatics. NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh expressed gratitude for the time, expense and commitment Fanatics showed in getting their jersey in the hands of players in locker rooms across the league.

Daily Faceoff was given the opportunity to inspect the new threads – and there really isn’t much different. In fact, in the authentic on-ice jerseys, Fanatics removed the Adidas-style debossed shoulder material, strengthened the elbow area with extra fabric to guard against abrasions and board rash, and added a hologram NHL shield on the chest.

That’s it. The wheel doesn’t need to be reinvented, so Fanatics is starting with the classic, and then will begin to make tweaks based on feedback.

“We’ve taken a deep dive on today’s standard, and we have the ability to innovate,” Leach said. “It’s all going to be driven by insights. We’re focused on safety and the needs of protection, durability, wearability, moisture management – and then we can work on brand identity, logos and colors.”

In conjunction with the launch, the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings will debut their retro-inspired rebrands on Wednesday with new uniforms and primary logos – and Utah Hockey Club will follow with their temporary first uniforms – but that is the extent of the design difference for next season. Fanatics wants to take it slow.

The other 29 teams will be able to introduce design changes for 2025-26 and beyond. Until then, Fanatics’ creative team is hard at work on jerseys for the 4 Nations Face-Off and the 2025 Winter Classic.

For the first time in years, fans will be able to purchase the actual on-ice authentic jersey worn by the players through Fanatics. Adidas advertised their retail jerseys as ‘authentic’ but were later challenged and forced to remove the claim. The new Fanatics-branded jerseys will be available in retail locations in September, closer to the start of next season, and there will be four different price points for fans, which helps with added affordability.

Wednesday marks the beginning of the Fanatics’ takeover. Get used to the logo, you’re going to be seeing it on just about everything.

“This is an exciting moment,” Leach said. “We’re ecstatic. The Fanatics brand will be on the ice surface or playing surface for the first time as an authentic outfitter, in any sport.”

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POST SPONSORED BY bet365

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Expect a seamless transition as Fanatics eases into NHL jersey production

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