Why the Royals switched to smaller lettering on back of uniforms in regular season
Royals supporters commended the team this spring for resisting a change to the look of Major League Baseball uniforms that irked players and fans alike in spring training.
The jerseys, which were designed by Nike and produced by Fanatics, have smaller lettering for names on the back.
A Fox Sports story noted that Cardinals pitcher Miles Mikolas “told reporters that the uniforms ‘look cheap’ while Angels outfielder Taylor Ward said the jerseys feel ‘kind of like papery.’”
But the Royals’ uniforms had not changed because team CEO/chairman John Sherman had pushed to keep them the same. Fans were thrilled that the Royals took a stand.
That exemption, however, is over. Fans watching Thursday’s opener against the Minnesota Twins noticed the Royals were wearing the new jerseys.
The Royals declined comment on why they had switched to the new jerseys, directing questions to Major League Baseball.
A league spokesman said the lettering on the Royals uniforms had been updated so there is consistency with other Major League Baseball teams.
Lettering for the names on the jerseys are different this year because the MLB logo is lower on the back than in the past. It had been located much closer to the collar. That has resulted in more arching for players names and a smaller size.
In the Royals team store at Kauffman Stadium, fans can still buy the old look on powder blue jerseys. The home whites have been updated with the smaller names. Blue uniform tops with the smaller player names are expected in July, but the City Connect jerseys won’t be changing. At least in the team store.
This story was originally published March 28, 2024 at 1:31 PM.
