Fanatics Issues Apology for Super Bowl Jersey Quality and Stock Shortages
Fanatics Betting & Gaming CEO Matt King discusses Superbowl bets, a commercial collaboration with Kendall Jenner and more on ‘The Claman Countdown.’
Football fans were left furious after a major sports apparel brand faced backlash for several Super Bowl merchandising issues just ahead of the big game this weekend.
On Tuesday, Fanatics released a statement addressing the recent uproar on social media regarding low stock and complaints about the quality of its Super Bowl LX jerseys for the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks. The company acknowledged the disappointment among fans, stating, “NFL fans, we’ve seen your jersey feedback, and we take it very seriously. We’ve let Patriots and Seahawks fans down with product availability; we own that, and we are sorry.”
Fanatics logo embroidered on an NHL Buffalo Sabres jersey. (Fanatics)
The statement continued, “This Super Bowl matchup has created unprecedented challenges for us because of the massive surge in demand we saw from Patriots and Seahawks fans. Both teams went from missing the playoffs last season to being in the Super Bowl, an incredibly rare occurrence that led to these two fanbases buying nearly 400% more jerseys since Thanksgiving compared to last year.”
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Despite ordering significantly more jerseys than ever before, Fanatics admitted to struggling to keep team color jerseys in stock, acknowledging that they understand fans’ frustrations. “As sports fans, we understand your frustration, and we will work tirelessly to be better,” the company stated.
Criticism also extended to the quality of alternate team jersey options, with some fans expressing their displeasure in colorful terms. One user on X remarked, “The Fanatics merch slop monopoly must be annihilated,” while another added, “It cannot be overstated enough just how much Fanatics has destroyed sports merchandise…”
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One fan lamented that NFL jerseys were of better quality before Fanatics took over the sports merchandising market. “Insane that the only Patriots Super Bowl uniform you can get at the team store is a design the team doesn’t wear on the field and sells for $160. You used to be able to buy Reebok uniforms with painted numbers for $30 at Marshall’s… what happens when Fanatics has a monopoly?” the user wrote.
Fanatics Fine Art jersey made for New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye. (Fanatics)
In response to the criticism regarding jersey quality, Fanatics defended its products in the press release, stating that they are ordering more team-color jerseys and alternate options to address consumer complaints.
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The company assured fans that despite some unflattering photos, the alternate jerseys are identical to the standard Nike replica ‘Game’ jersey. Furthermore, they advised customers that any product not meeting expectations can be returned “free of charge” using the Fanatics app.
Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin, left, Tom Brady and Travis Scott onstage at Fanatics Fest at Javits Center on June 20, 2025, in New York City. (Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images)
Fanatics is currently in the midst of a 10-year partnership with the NFL that began in 2020, becoming the exclusive distributor of Nike’s adult-sized jerseys and other apparel. This partnership has significantly boosted its prominence in the online sportswear industry.
In addition to its merchandising efforts, the brand has ventured into hosting conventions and content creation. The annual Fanatics Fest, featuring some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment, takes place at the Javits Center in New York City. Recently, CEO Michael Rubin announced the launch of Fanatics Studios, a new production company that is a joint venture between the brand and OBB Media.
Fanatics Betting & Gaming CEO Matt King discusses Superbowl bets, a commercial collaboration with Kendall Jenner and more on ‘The Claman Countdown.’
Football fans were left furious after a major sports apparel brand faced backlash for several Super Bowl merchandising issues just ahead of the big game this weekend.
On Tuesday, Fanatics released a statement addressing the recent uproar on social media regarding low stock and complaints about the quality of its Super Bowl LX jerseys for the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks. The company acknowledged the disappointment among fans, stating, “NFL fans, we’ve seen your jersey feedback, and we take it very seriously. We’ve let Patriots and Seahawks fans down with product availability; we own that, and we are sorry.”
Fanatics logo embroidered on an NHL Buffalo Sabres jersey. (Fanatics)
The statement continued, “This Super Bowl matchup has created unprecedented challenges for us because of the massive surge in demand we saw from Patriots and Seahawks fans. Both teams went from missing the playoffs last season to being in the Super Bowl, an incredibly rare occurrence that led to these two fanbases buying nearly 400% more jerseys since Thanksgiving compared to last year.”
SUPER BOWL SCAMS SURGE IN FEBRUARY AND TARGET YOUR DATA
Despite ordering significantly more jerseys than ever before, Fanatics admitted to struggling to keep team color jerseys in stock, acknowledging that they understand fans’ frustrations. “As sports fans, we understand your frustration, and we will work tirelessly to be better,” the company stated.
Criticism also extended to the quality of alternate team jersey options, with some fans expressing their displeasure in colorful terms. One user on X remarked, “The Fanatics merch slop monopoly must be annihilated,” while another added, “It cannot be overstated enough just how much Fanatics has destroyed sports merchandise…”
SEAHAWKS EARN TRIP TO SUPER BOWL LX WITH THRILLING VICTORY OVER RAMS IN NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
One fan lamented that NFL jerseys were of better quality before Fanatics took over the sports merchandising market. “Insane that the only Patriots Super Bowl uniform you can get at the team store is a design the team doesn’t wear on the field and sells for $160. You used to be able to buy Reebok uniforms with painted numbers for $30 at Marshall’s… what happens when Fanatics has a monopoly?” the user wrote.
Fanatics Fine Art jersey made for New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye. (Fanatics)
In response to the criticism regarding jersey quality, Fanatics defended its products in the press release, stating that they are ordering more team-color jerseys and alternate options to address consumer complaints.
‘NFL REDZONE’ HOST SCOTT HANSON EXPLAINS WHY SAM DARNOLD IS TOP SUPER BOWL LX ‘HUMAN INTEREST STORY’
The company assured fans that despite some unflattering photos, the alternate jerseys are identical to the standard Nike replica ‘Game’ jersey. Furthermore, they advised customers that any product not meeting expectations can be returned “free of charge” using the Fanatics app.
Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin, left, Tom Brady and Travis Scott onstage at Fanatics Fest at Javits Center on June 20, 2025, in New York City. (Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images)
Fanatics is currently in the midst of a 10-year partnership with the NFL that began in 2020, becoming the exclusive distributor of Nike’s adult-sized jerseys and other apparel. This partnership has significantly boosted its prominence in the online sportswear industry.
In addition to its merchandising efforts, the brand has ventured into hosting conventions and content creation. The annual Fanatics Fest, featuring some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment, takes place at the Javits Center in New York City. Recently, CEO Michael Rubin announced the launch of Fanatics Studios, a new production company that is a joint venture between the brand and OBB Media.
