Fans Rip Fanatics For Pricing Of ‘Authentic’ NHL Jerseys
Fanatics unveiled a new elevated collection of authentic and replica NHL jerseys ahead of the 2024-25 season and fans were outraged regarding the pricing of the selections available.
In the global digital sports platform's first season as the league's official outfitter of on-ice uniforms, Fanatics will offer four categories of jerseys -- authentic pro, premium, breakaway and practice.
The authentic pro jersey is supposedly the Rolls Royce of hockey jersey as described in a press release by the NHL.
Cut, stitched and assembled in the same Canadian factory that has made NHL on-ice jerseys for nearly 50 years. The Authentic Pro features the exact specifications that the players wear, including elevated fabrics and sewn down multi-layered tackle twill with 3D embroidered crest and shoulder patches. The Authentic Pro retail jersey also includes an additional layer of fabric inside the lower sleeve, the exact same detail on the new player uniform which is intended to reduce material wear from sustained friction against the boards.
The price of the jersey, which does not display a player's name on the back, is $425. Yup, $425 for a blank NHL jersey because it's made in the same factory that makes the player's actual jerseys.
Fans were not impressed with the cost, and many commented on the quality of product they've received from the company in the past.
Here are just a few of the responses to the announcement of the new products:
A few fans even joked about what the price of the jersey should come with.
The practice jersey is the most affordable at $120, but again the jersey comes blank and not customizable at this time. Next up is the breakaway jersey going for $135 blank and $175 if you want to customize it. The premium rounds out the collection at $230 customized and $180 blank.