Fanatics forced to issue another apology after fan backlash, this time over Super Bowl LX merchandise
Eagles fans are likely familiar with the issues Seahawks and Patriots fans are running into when they try to purchase Super Bowl jerseys.
Apparel brand Fanatics issued an apology this week over the lack of availability and poor quality of its Super Bowl LX gear after complaints from New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks fans.
In a statement posted Monday night on social media, Fanatics wrote that “we’ve let Patriots and Seahawks fans down with product availability — we own that and we are sorry."
The NFL’s official merchandising partner pointed to the surge in demand for Seahawks and Patriots gear after both teams missed the playoffs last year, and admitted that the company was struggling to “meet the overwhelming demand to keep team color jerseys in stock.”
Fanatics’ statement also tried to downplay the images circulating on social media — “We’ve heard questions about the quality of these alternate jerseys and can assure you that, despite some unflattering photos, these jerseys are identical to the standard Nike replica ‘Game’ jersey,” the company said — but fans and members of the media keep showing proof that says otherwise.
Doug Kyed, Patriots’ beat reporter for the Boston Herald, shared photos of New England gear on site at the Super Bowl in the San Francisco area and there aren’t many options for fans looking to buy Patriots gear.
CBS national NFL reporter Jonathan Jones pointed out that a jersey purchased 10 years ago not only had better quality — it was cheaper, too.
The Patriots’ official pro shop posted a picture of its jersey options on Monday, and several X users pointed out that the Super Bowl LX patch location was different for each jersey.
Seahawks fans are also complaining about the lack of availability for jerseys. But Fanatics appears to have plenty, as long as you want one in a color that the team has never worn or one that is not a replica of team-worn gear.
This is hardly the first time Fanatics faced backlash for the quantity and quality of its products.
Eagles fans also had a hard time finding the team’s jerseys ahead of its Super Bowl LVII appearance, when, as with the Seahawks this year, the only jerseys available with a game patch were in a non-team color (silver) — not white, green, or even black. It was a problem again for Super Bowl LIX. One fan pointed out that even when his jersey did arrive, well after the 2023 title game, it featured a crooked number.
Later that year, several Birds fans complained about late-arriving and ill-fitting kelly green apparel, which again also featured crooked numbers, forcing CEO Michael Rubin, a Philly native who grew up in Lafayette Hill, to apologize for the botched Eagles gear.
The issues aren’t limited to football — or even fan merchandise. Baseball players joined fans in complaining about the new Nike Vapor Premier jersey template and see-through pants unveiled in 2024, forcing the MLB to change its uniforms last season.