MLB and Fanatics stop jersey production to make masks and gowns for hospitals to fight coronavirus
Major League Baseball and Fanatics — the company that makes MLB’s jerseys — have come up with a creative way to help those in need. The league and Fanatics have agreed to halt the production of MLB jerseys so Fanatics can instead make masks and gowns to donate to hospitals in the fight against coronavirus.
Fanatics’ Michael Rubin detailed the plan in a Twitter thread Thursday.
(Thread):
Woke up in the middle of the night last week with idea of converting our @Fanatics factory in PA that makes official @MLB jerseys into a facility that makes much needed masks and gowns and then donating them to help fight this horrendous virus. pic.twitter.com/r6FAxUdlgH— Michael Rubin (@MichaelGRubin) March 26, 2020
Fanatics plans to make one million masks and gowns, which it says will be immediately donated to hospitals and emergency management personnel across Pennsylvania. The company hopes to expand production to both New York and New Jersey.
and plan to make one million masks and gowns then immediately donate and distribute them to hospitals and emergency management personnel across PA with the goal of extending this to NJ and NY – the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in the US!!
— Michael Rubin (@MichaelGRubin) March 26, 2020
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred played a role in the decision. Manfred agreed that Fanatics should stop making MLB jerseys, and reacted quickly so Fanatics could get to work on its new endeavor.
Fanatics isn’t the only company that changed production to help those fighting coronavirus. Bauer — a hockey equipment company — has done the same. Bauer is repurposing face shields to give to medical professionals, doctors and nurses who are taking care of patients battling the virus.
Protection that allows athletes to give everything for their team is our heritage.
Right now, we're all on the same team. We're repurposing our facilities to make face shields so that medical professionals battling COVID-19 can safely continue to help those most vulnerable. pic.twitter.com/pBiZuUWdVl— BAUER Hockey (@BauerHockey) March 25, 2020
Cascade Lacrosse — which also makes helmets and headgear — also got in on the act. Cascade is owned by Bauer.
MLB has postponed games indefinitely as a result of the coronavirus. The league is working to get back up and running, but it’s unclear when games will resume. While getting sports back on the air will be a morale boost to many around the country, MLB rightly realizes there are more important things to take care of before more jerseys are made.
Kudos to both Bauer, Cascade, Fanatics and MLB for doing something positive during a difficult time.
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