The Philadelphia Phillies are among the few teams set to wear City Connect uniforms in the 2024 seasons and fans might have gotten an unexpected preview of the design following an apparent leak on social media.
“Were the Phillies city connect jerseys just leaked through eBay?” asked X user @Gottagoto_MOs in a post sharing several pictures of a bold, blue and yellow Zack Wheeler jersey.
Via royalstore18 on eBay
The likelihood of a leak received some additional momentum from Paul Lukas of Uni Watch, who noted that the jerseys fit previous descriptions of the official color scheme and that “all recent purported leaks based on photos of actual jerseys (as opposed to mock-ups) have turned out to be legit.”
On X, @Gottagoto_MOs added that the images are likely to be a legitimate leak because they use Nike’s predetermined baseball jersey template for 2024, they show accurate MLB and Nike logos and the pictured packaging and price tags match those of genuine products.
Few reasons why I think this is legit
1. This jersey is in the new Nike “limited” template for baseball in 2024
2. MLB and Nike logos are correct which counterfeit jerseys usually get wrong
3. The packaging and price tags all look correct
Fans Call Phillies City Connect Jersey Image ‘Brutal’ & a ‘Complete Abomination’
In more than 150 comments on the post that first alleged a leaked jersey design, Phillies fans and other X users didn’t hold back their strong opinions.
“Definitely awful enough to be a City Connect jersey,” one user wrote.
@Gottagoto_MOs @Fanatics @Phillies @philliesNEstore @Nike Definitely awful enough to be a City Connect jersey
“The font is brutal,” added a user named “Philly Gooner.”
@Gottagoto_MOs @Fanatics @Phillies @philliesNEstore @Nike The font is brutal
“This is a complete abomination,” another added.
@Gottagoto_MOs @Fanatics @Phillies @philliesNEstore @Nike This is a complete abomination
Other users, however, indicated that they liked the design.
“I actually like these,” wrote one.
@Gottagoto_MOs @Fanatics @Phillies @philliesNEstore @Nike I actually like these
“Actually much better than what I was imagining,” added “Philly Phan.” “I think they look alright, but there were better options.”
@Gottagoto_MOs @Fanatics @Phillies @philliesNEstore @Nike Actually much better then what I was imagining, but we really didn’t need blue and yellow jerseys. I think they look alright, but there were better options
Writing for BillyPenn, an affiliate of WHYY, Justin Klugh offered a more nuanced opinion on the leaked images.
“There’s a lot being critiqued: The gradience, the font, the fact that it says ‘Philly’ and not ‘Phillies’ (though it is, possibly, a City Connect jersey, so using the city’s name does make sense,” he wrote. “We are not a city of half-measures, at least not emotionally. So in that way, this jersey is a success.”
More Details on Phillies’ 2024 Uniform Designs
Crossing Broad originally reported that the Phillies’ 2024 City Connect uniforms would be blue and yellow, based on the Pennsylvania state flag, in April 2023. Uni Watch has noted that the Phillies wore this color scheme in 1938 and that the Philadelphia Eagles NFL team did so as well in 1934.
After getting the chance to wear City Connect uniforms, the Phillies opted to ditch their red jerseys for next season, as they are only permitted to have four total designs in addition to the City Connect design, per Nike’s rules.
“The Phillies already had five (uniform schemes) — pinstripes, cream, powder blue, gray and red — meaning one needed to be ditched with the impending arrival of the … City Connects,” according to Tim Kelly of Phillies Nation. “It hasn’t yet been revealed what day(s) of the week the Phillies will wear their City Connect uniforms, but they will come in games at Citizens Bank Park.”
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Fans Sound Off on ‘Brutal’ Phillies Jersey Design After Potential Leak