The reaction to the black jerseys’ new look has been mainly negative.
The New York Mets are making several unfavorable changes to their alternate “black jerseys”.
The Mets were reportedly updating their black hats, removing the white shadow drop under the team insignia, as reported back on January 2. Fans responded to this in a divided way, questioning whether the jerseys themselves will be treated similarly.
Paul Lukas of UniWatch verified these rumors on Monday. Along with a comparison of the 2023 and 2024 versions, he also supplied a mock-up of the revised black jerseys. Both the front and the back now have a white background instead of the uniform lettering, player name, and player number.
The upgrade has been met with widespread disapproval from the fan base, despite the fact that black jerseys—which are often worn in Friday home games—have always been an acquired taste. Not only were they regarded unneeded, but many were also quick to point out that the jersey names and numbers will become more difficult to read from a distance. Fans who watch games from Citi Field’s upper deck will find this to be extremely unpleasant.
It’s also important to note that the upgraded black jerseys have been deviating more and more from the original designs. The purpose of the outfits, which were worn from 1998 to 2012 and then again in 2021, was to provide a humorous vintage look. The appeal of the black jerseys in the first place was their retro status, which is now practically lost with this makeover.
These adjustments might be a reaction to the City Connect jerseys that the Mets will introduce at the start of the 2024 season. However, the majority of fans concur that the modifications are not only needless but also visually unappealing.