I’ve been waiting for hours for this.  :)

Well put, as usual.  That 45% figure really stands out.  Does MLB think that of that 45% the majority of us are teenage/college girls with anorexia?

With our making up almost half their fanbase it would be nice if they gave us little more thought than “Girls are built like sticks and dig boys and sparkly things!”.

MLB really needs to take a page from Alyssa Milano’s Touch line when it comes to knowing what women want to wear. No, I don’t want to wear a pink hat or a baby-T that looks like it was meant for a child-prostitute. Touch is just about the only sports-themed clothes I wear. Feminine, but not patronizing.

Those items up top are just dreadful! “I only kiss Mets fans?” Seriously? UGH!

While I agree with what you’re saying, I find it very ironic that on the bar to the left as I type this is an ad for GreatGlam.com that has photos of two women with breasts barely covered, one in very low pants and the other in a mini-skirt.

Christy, I am sorry about the ad. I cannot get it to load for me, so I don’t know if it’s a Google ad or one from another advertiser. Can you tell me in which position exactly you saw the ad? If so, I’ll have it removed asap.

Unfortunately, site hosting is not free, and I could not do this at this level without ad revenue.

I like Victoria’s Secret and I like MLB. I should be thrilled about this partnership and the prospect of new team clothes for women (as you noted, options are very limited). However, as a fan (and not a fangirl), I’m a bit insulted that the manufacturers assume we want hearts and rhinestones on the clothes and that we all want to marry Joe Mauer or Grady Sizemore. I enjoy watching baseball as a sport; the eye candy is just a bonus.

I for one, actually like some of these things they just came out with. They are cute, and comfy, and NO, i’m not within the “supposed” age range that VS sells to (where you got that stat, I’m not sure.) I’m near 30.
I don’t like all the VS MLB items, the “I only kiss ___ fans” shirt is dumb. but they have cute cropped sweatpants, that chances are, I won’t wear much outside my house.
On the subject of rhinestones, the reason these look so bad on MLB, and NHL women’s wear is not because they are rhinestones, but because they are the cheap plastic crap that they try to tell us are “rhinestones”. there is a big difference.
truth is, if you don’t like the stuff they make for us, make your own. there are places that print t-shirts, plus iron-on capabilities of printers. we won’t change what MLB sells, unless we do something about it.
and in my opinion, the stuff that was designed by your friend for Mets fans…is very boyish looking…and I wouldn’t buy that either, even if it had Twins on it instead. not my cup of tea.

Hear hear…

My four-year-old daughter loves to wear pink. Her 42-year-old mom, not so much. I’m a grown woman who’s followed baseball since age nine. Yeah, that’s going on 25 years—your target market for these silly clothes wasn’t even born the first time I picked up a baseball. A woman’s cut jersey or t-shirt that isn’t skin tight or over-priced would be wonderful. (Honestly, I can’t justify spending $70 plus shipping on your “vintage” Indians jersey.) Taper the waist and the shoulders a bit, don’t make it as long as a men’s size small, and we’re in business. But please don’t insult my intelligence by thinking every human being with two X chromosomes automatically wants to wear something pink with rhinestones. And please don’t assume that we’re all following the big name teams. We aren’t.

My first thought looking at those shirts:

“Well, that’s insulting.”

Are there any of us women who do NOT go through the neverending “Yeah, there are women here but they’re not REAL fans..” B.S. ALL the time? It doesn’t help our case when the only thing MLB licenses for us is Alyssa Milano clubwear and stuff like this.

I don’t want pink (or lavender, or pastel green, etc.): I like the Twins logo. I like the Twins colors. I don’t want to be bedazzled. I am not a groupie. I am not looking to meet my soulmate in the stands. I go to baseball games for the exact same reason men do. I like to watch baseball. I want clothing that fits my body and that is practical, affordable, and acknowledges that it’s possible to have breasts and not look like a hooker.

I pay as much money if not more to the MLB every year as the men I know do. And yet there’s still the stigma that we are somehow lesser fans because we don’t pee standing up.

(Maybe if I’m really really lucky, a Baseball 101 will come to Target Field and teach me all about this thing called baseball!)

Well I have a couple concerns that MLB is answering female fan’s request for female-friendly gear by using Victoria Secret and PINK.

1. Just because I am female I don’t want cutesy “I heart boys” sayings, pink, or sparkle.
2. Sizes. I checked out their college gear line and the sizes go XS – L (with customer feedback saying the sizes run on the small size).
3. Cost.
4. Why don’t they work with actual fans and not just Alyssa Milano and some marketing/design team? It would be great publicity for MLB!
5. Is it too much to just ask for standard gear/logos in a more feminine shape? Fitted, vneck, light weight material, room for breasts?

All in all, I feel like MLB doing this sort of “appeasement” is more insulting than helpful. Way to know your fanbase. I live in freakin’ Minnesota…it’s going to be freezing cold half of the season and I need warm, functional gear…not just cute!

Guess I am going back to my original plan of making my own shirts (with or without puffy paint).

I appreciate all the comments here, even (and especially) from women who like the clothing line. It is always tough to comment when you are outnumbered so I very much appreciate you making the effort, and encourage any other women who like the clothing line to please comment.

MLB has asked for a link to the story so I would like it to be representative of everyone.

EXACTLY, Sarah! I LIKE the colors of my team!

It looks like they got Debbie Clemens’ input on this clothing line:

http://www.debsonlineshop.com/ladiessportscaps.aspx

Couldn’t agree more - I just want a shirt that’s made to fit boobs; I do not want it to be pink, glittery or sequined. It’s as though they expect women to overcompensate for liking a “guy thing” like baseball by being super-girly about it.

Nothing against women who do want this stuff; people should be free to wear whatever they want to a baseball game. If you like pink hats, wear a pink hat. But to me, it seems marginalizing. Fans are fans. It’s just that some of us are shorter and bustier than others and would like to wear a shirt that is shaped accordingly.

Great article. I totally agree that the MLB doesn’t get us and they are missing out on huge potential revenue.

My favorite line of the article is, “MLB. You are throwing money away by thinking that asking your 16 year old neighbor what she thinks is cute is doing market research.”

Want to know what we want; ask Season Ticket holders across the league. You know the ones who are actually spending the money. I would pay the outrageous prices your asking is you gave me options that fit in my team colors that didn’t make me look like I was heading to Single’s Night.

I looked at the VS line, and I’m not a fan. I might consider the jammies, but nothing I would want to wear to the ballpark. As a woman in my 40s and heavier than Alyssa Milano, these aren’t really for me.

I don’t mind a little bling on the shirts, as long as they’re the right colors and not too overpowering. And definately no pink. I’m a traditionalist; I like to wear the teams’ real colors.

I have, though, found some cute things at the official team pro shop, but they’re quite expensive.

I do find it interesting that I have a friend who is having a hard time finding something for her 7 year-old daughter that isn’t pink. This smart little girl also understands the importance of wearing the right colors.

Oh and Caryn, I just wanted to through out the Cubs version of “Marry Me, Mauer,” which is “I Got to Second With Mark DeRosa.”

oh god, julie - really? i mean REALLY? *barf*

thanks to everyone for their enthusiastic feedback - no matter what side of the debate you are on.

Where is the eye rolling smiley face when you need it? I’ll give MLB credit, if it doesn’t work, try try again.

I’ll reiterate what many articulate female baseball fans have already said no pink, no glitter, no hearts. Just make shirts, shorts, jerseys and hats that fit a flatter all sizes of women.  Thank you Metsgirl!

I just realized this is in conjunction with the “Pink” division of VS.

That explains a lot, including why it looks like Paris Hilton designed these jerseys.

I’m a 22 and people already think I look 16 as it is, so there is no way I’m wearing ANYTHING that is bedazzled. When are they going to realize that we aren’t cheerleaders? Because the only time I’ve ever been that cutesy to a game was when I was actually a cheerleader! And even then I wouldn’t let anyone come near me with glitter.

http://jammer10am.blogspot.com/

I’m a 22 and people already think I look 16 as it is, so there is no way I’m wearing ANYTHING that is bedazzled. When are they going to realize that we aren’t cheerleaders? Because the only time I’ve ever been that cutesy to a game was when I was actually a cheerleader! And even then I wouldn’t let anyone come near me with glitter.

As someone who has wanted a nice Mets-themed sundress (not tight, not too revealing) for years, I am in full support of a reasonable line of women’s baseball clothes. I also really like the Mitchell Ness clothing line that’s linked in the original blog post. Generally, I think the PINK line is trashy anyway, so putting baseball logos on it doesn’t change my opinion.

The bigger issue that offends me in regards to this clothing line is the thought process that’s behind it. This sort of thing doesn’t get done without meetings. Lots and lots of meetings. Where a female employee (or many) attended. But somehow the thinking is still that women are coming to games to watch (and meet) men and that we’re different from male fans. While it’s obvious there are differences between the sexes, there’s one glaring and huge misconception: that clearly female fans want (or need) to sell our sexuality at the ballpark. That type of thinking is flat-out wrong and coming from a flirty woman, I would much rather have a guy like me because I know David Wright’s batting average than the shirt I’m wearing.

I regularly buy men’s shirts (small size) because I am tall and prefer the extra length.
But I also prefer the fabric weight of men’s shirts.  I dislike the paper-thin knit fabrics that designers of women’s clothing insist are “perfect for layering”, which I interpret as “you must buy two or three of these over-priced flimsy things in order to be fashionable”.
Those who make sports-related clothing for women not only think we aren’t real fans, but also think we will buy poor quality disposable crap, because we are slaves to fashion.

The posted the Red Sox version of this on Twitter here:  http://twitpic.com/18yqx0 and the comment I left was “When will MLB get that most women fans don’t want cutesy clothes we just want clothes that fit women? “I Only Kiss Red Sox Fans”? What the heck is THAT? Sexist and stupid. I shouldn’t be surprised.”

Honestly, it’s getting to the point where I feel like MLB wants me to be embarrassed that I’m a female sports fan.

My mother, who is a lifelong baseball fan, is not into the whole “blog” thing but this was her take:

“Sounds like this is a line that is actually marketed to MEN, so they can package up their girlfriends to be darling color coordinated accessories when they drag them along to games or sports bars.”

I love baseball, the color pink, and sparkles! However I generally don’t like them combined. I will admit that I own a “Marry Me Joe” shirt that I got as a gift and I kept it because it made me laugh and it is kind of cute.
I appreciate that MLB has made attempts at trying to make apparel for female fans, but my biggest beef with them is that I’m a plus sized woman. A good majority of their attempts at women’s apparel just doesn’t fit. We aren’t all a size 4. The average American woman wears a size 14 and about 1/3 of all women wear a size 16 or larger. I just ask that sports apparel makers would use that information and keep that in mind during their design process.

Caryn, the ad was directly to the left of the top of the comments section (back when there was only one or two other comments this morning). I think there was one other ad below it. Hope that helps.

I’ve been talking about this in my office since this was posted.  I’m kind of “the most crazy baseball fanatic in our office”...so they expect me to pop out of my cube with some random baseball rant almost daily…The first thing my friend Al said to me was “oh no, is this another rant about how much you despise the pink baseball cap”...
Well, not really…because I’ve never really thought about how this is all MLB sanctioned- and the whole we have to have Womens/Hispanic/Kids/Japanese/Lefties/Gay night out at the ballpark…apparently, no one just wants to go to a baseball game anymore unless there is something specifically for them.  I’m not sure “cuter clothes” will bring in more fans…at least not the kinds of fans I want to have sitting next to me.  It would be nice if the MLB appreciated the ladies who live and breathe baseball year-round and who would just like a shirt to fit their boobies!
And this comment- MADE MY DAY- via Cyn
Honestly, it’s getting to the point where I feel like MLB wants me to be embarrassed that I’m a female sports fan.<<<< AMEN!  Though I’m more likely to feel under-dressed as well too…

Thanks Christy, someone else saw the ad and got me a screenshot and I’ve had it removed from the rotation. Sorry about that.

HEY, INTERNS FROM PINK / MLB - you are giving yourselves away. Your comments will not be posted. Not because you disagree, but because you’re being condescending and rude.

So only comments that are negative toward the line are kept?
I’m sorry that you don’t want to hear actual facts, but that “blah blah blah…we’re plus sized women”. Last time I checked, Victoria Secret didn’t make plus sized clothes…so why should this line be any different.

I’m not an intern for MLB or for PINK. Sorry, get facts straight, and you should allow both positive and negative comments if you’re being objective like you seem to want to be.

One: I honestly don’t have a huge problem with glittery, rhinestone-tastic, pink or other non-team-color (like camo! what?), feminine team merch. Not my style, personally, but if someone else wants to wear it more power to her (or him). My issue is in the fact that, rather than making these items available in addition to your basic team merch in women’s cuts, they’ve basically decided to provide them in lieu of a plain old jersey or t-shirt that’s cut to fit a woman’s body.

Two: that said, why is it seemingly impossible for teams to provide women with the same stuff they offer men (basic player tees, jerseys, all in team colors, all customizable to the same extent as their men’s merch brethren)—only cut for women? Is it really that hard?

Three: I’m on the small side, so I buy my t-shirts and jerseys in the kids’ section. That said, while they mostly-but-imperfectly fit, I’d shell out the extra bucks for, say, a jersey that’s actually shaped properly for a woman rather than just smaller than a men’s jersey (with the same options as men’s jerseys; I’ll admit I’ve seen the occasional replica women’s jersey in the proper colors, but I personally prefer the authentic ones—and, if nothing else, I’d like the choice). (I would also pay so much money for a Cooperstown Carlton Fisk jersey cut for a woman. Just to say.)

Four: in closing, the “Looking for Mr. Wright” and “Marry Me Mauer”, etc. stuff actually makes me angry, probably because, with the first one in particular, my first response was to laugh. Hey, it’s cute. But then I thought about it for a second, and, hey, no it’s not. It’s this horrible combination of cutesy and offensive, all wrapped up in one t-shirt.

Jessica: First of all, it’s not your blog, it’s mine, so you don’t get to dictate my comments policy.

If you want to be self-righteous, go be self-righteous on your own blog. You’re being rude, and you need to read the article again. You are also being illogical. The point is that women comes in all shapes and sizes, and that MLB doesn’t make any women’s clothing that fits women in all shapes and sizes, all ages, all backgrounds. The point is that many of us find this embarrassing. You don’t? Great. Wear the clothes in good health

I included a comment in the story by someone who was happy to hear about the clothing and thanked a previous commenter who liked the clothing. Neither of them, however, were rude or sockpuppeted and they didn’t hide behind aliases.

I think my biggest problem with this new line of clothing is that Major League Baseball decided that a line of clothing for 45% of their fans should be designed by Victoria’s Secret, a store whose clothing is not something a good number of those 45% of fans choose to or even can wear. I’m a small woman, but I don’t shop there because that’s not my style. I’d much prefer that MLB had decided to create a line of women’s clothing through a different company that’s isn’t as specific to size 6 women under 30.

Why do I get the feeling that Victoria’s secret didn’t necessarily create this line for women per se, but more so for people looking for gifts to buy the female baseball fans in their lives?

These look like clothes that a husband/boyfriend/friend/parent/whatever would buy for women, but that women would not necessarily buy themselves.

That’s just my guess as a Y Chromosome male.

Caryn, you’re my freaking hero. I’m a fourteen year old girl, and I find this repulsive and can only imagine what (don’t take this the wrong way at all) some of you women think, who have been watching baseball for so much longer than me. I’m a girly girl. I wear skirts occasionally, maybe even a dress every now and then. But that’s for school or a party. This is for BASEBALL. It’s hard enough getting respect from the guys at my school when I try to talk to them about baseball, or when I wear my David Wright jersey to school. They think I only like him because he’s the best looking guy at the team, which is totally not true…but this is an argument for another time. I’m horrified at the thought of one of those guys seeing me in those sparkly…things. Like you said: I want clothing that fits my body. I don’t need rhinestones, I need respect and I’d never get it with that.

Anyway, I loved this and my mom wants me to let you know she did to. (;

Julia, you made my year. Hang in there, it gets easier. I promise!! (ps tell your mom hi!)

Ian, you are probably not wrong at all.

Thank you to EVERYONE for the comments!! wow.

Ian you are dead on. There are two distinct groups of merch sold by VS—the stuff guys buy and the stuff we women actually wear. Take a wild guess which represents the larger percentage of sales.

I was a huge football fan in high school (the reasons I’m not anymore are not relevant here) and used to go to the team store for merch. The concept of female football fans didn’t even register in the public consciousiness in the 1970s, so I always went home with a boys’ size Joe Theismann jersey that wasn’t even close to being the proper size. And was then accused of only liking Theismann for his looks.Just one more mixed message that mass media thrusts upon women regarding our sexuality/intelligence/interests/goals.

Sigh. Things have improved since my high school days, but not much.

I absolutely hate MLB’s version of female apparel.  I just end up getting the regular jerseys but I look completely ridiculous in them.  When you’re 5’8” you don’t really look good in an unfitting baseball jersey. 

Unlike MLB, at least the NHL has decent sized jerseys.  I got a completely normal looking women’s Rangers jersey.  It just looks more fitted and normal.

And don’t get me started on the pink.  Ugh.  I have hated pink since before I knew anything about baseball or baseball caps.  I hated that it was associated with being a girl.  If MLB thinks girls only wear pink caps then I wonder why they have blue, red, green, yellow, etc. colored caps for men.  Aren’t they only supposed to wear blue?

Ugh.  I would’ve commented sooner but haven’t had power since Saturday and still don’t have power.

I think they will on the major markdown rack by June.

I guess at least they are in the team colors.  I, personally, won’t shop there but it is likely that more women/girls will be in team colors instead of pink which is always a win in my eyes!

As a Rays fan I think the “Chicks dig the Longo ball” is kind of a cute twist.  However you’re right anytime a female fan wears a players jersey, it’s assumed that she comes to the games because she has a crush on that player.  I mean I love BJ Upton for the same reason guys do, he has a cannon for an arm and can gun down runners.  So I tend to wear gear with no player associated, that like you’ve all said doesn’t quite fit right.  Kinda sad…

Oh and you can laugh at me for owning one of those long ball shirts, but that’s probably the reason it has become a pajama shirt and never been worn to a game!

Jessica! Yay, you’re still blogging :)  I agree that “chicks dig the longo ball” is clever and I would probably own that shirt if I was a Rays fan. But as a trend it’s a terrible one - which you already know :)

Ellie, can’t believe you got on the internet! Have you seen the Mitchell & Ness NHL gear? Do you like it any better?

I checked out the Mitchell & Ness stuff and definitely like it better.

I still cannot believe this is what MLB thinks we want to wear. I may count how many people I see at games in regular gear vs VS/Touch clothes.

This has been a gripe of mine for YEARS.  Here’s some good news.  Over the last couple years, I have made use of any opportunity presented to me to comment to the MN Twins about the lack of availability of womens products in team colors - no, I don’t wear pink EVER - AND the fact that new jerseys never had replicas in womens or youth sizes.

Now I hesitate to make any cause/effect claims here, but when my team recently ventured into the Twitter universe, I sent my comments to there - and actually got a reply that the issue would be passed along.

Go figure?!  But the MN Twins actually have a whole new line of womens apparel options - in team colors - and more jersey options besides! 

Keep fighting the fight fans!  The funny think about markets is that they do actually respond to what people BUY!

I have to say I did not read all of the comments but the ones I did read I completely disagree with.  I do not think that this is offensive in any way I love victoria’s secret and MLB.  I don’t just like baseball because of the guys butts or anything I like the game and could tell you more than all my guy friends combined.  But with that I am also one of the girlies-girls you could ever meet.  While I think some of the sayings on the shirts are stupid “I only kiss Mets fans” for example I do think the clothes are cute.  I do not like jerseys I do not think that they are flattering or comfortable.  I understand the idea of a jersey made for women and I think that for some people that would be great but I still would not want to wear them.  I also don’t like t-shirts and let’s be honest most t-shirts even the mlb store womens cut ones are still not that flattering on most people and while they are comfortable other then the occasional not wanting to deal day I don’t wear them.  I like that they are making clothes for someone like me who does not want to be dressed in the shapeless boring sports clothes normally offered.  I do believe that they should have options for girls who aren’t as girly and into this stuff but that doesn’t make any of this offensive.  In fact I am kind of offended at the idea that no girl who likes baseball could possibly like this clothing and the idea that because I like this clothing I worse than a fan who only wants to wear authentic jerseys.
Rant over.
p.s. I do agree that the rhinestones look horrible though, they are so tacky.

Alie, I understand where you’re coming from but the thing i find offensive—-and embarassing—-is if this is really what all women wore. It may look cute on a teenage girl’s body (it will certainly never be on mine) but then I imagine my mom wearing it. Why can’t they make something for ALL women and not stick us all in this stereotype? It makes no sense to me.

“In fact I am kind of offended at the idea that no girl who likes baseball could possibly like this clothing and the idea that because I like this clothing I worse than a fan who only wants to wear authentic jerseys.”

Had you read all of the comments you would know that no one really has said that.  If MLB is so thrilled that 45% of their fanbase is female, why then slight what is probably the majority of that 45% by marketing clothes that most of them either wouldn’t or couldn’t wear?  Julia brings up a good point, my 64 year-old mother and many of my aunts are wild baseball fans who like to wear the team colors.  Where are the clothes for them?

Ultimately, it comes down to this:  We’re fans just like the men are.  If MLB had any respect for that they wouldn’t come up with this gimmicky stuff, they’d just make clothes that fit women…all women.

I agree that this is completely not a good fit for women over a certain age but for the age they are clearly targeting these clothes are great.  I am young and within the age rage of there target audience but I also am not a size 2, no where close.  I do think that they should have clothing that fit all women all shapes and sizes no one is the same but expected that from one clothing is just not possible.  There is no one item of clothing, type of top or pants or skirt that looks good on everybody.  Honestly no matter what the clothing is for it is much easier to dress every type of male body than every female body.

I completely agree that they should make womens cut jerseys and more of a standard womens cut t-shirt.  I just don’t like the idea that you can’t be a baseball obsessed girlie-girl who likes this clothing. Personally I think they mix together pretty well.  Obviously it is not for everyone but it is for more then just the boyfriends buying their girlfriends something to wear to the game with them.

I don’t know if what I am trying to say is coming off properly I am just trying to show that there is another side to this.  And that there are completely serious female baseball fans that DO want to wear clothing like this.

****I do think that they should have clothing that fit all women all shapes and sizes no one is the same but expecting that from one clothing line is just not possible.****

Alie, I think most folks feel like if this was just a PART of MLB outreach to female fans that would be great. The more MLB licensing the better. And some women do really like this line.

But when VS Pink and Touch are the ONLY official options options for women, it’s limiting and diminishes our legitimacy. 

And now whenever we complain about wanting more respect and acknowledgement from MLB, they will throw “But we work with Alyssa Milano and Victoria’s Secret!” back at us and won’t look any farther than that. I have the feeling they are more than content that they are fulfilling any responsibilty they have toward female fans with this stuff alone.

While I appreciate the effort of MLB, they really need to look at getting appropriate fanwear for all types of people.  I get really frustrated when I want to show my support for my team, but nothing comes in my size.  I am a larger girl (yes, I know…there is some fault of my own on that one), and need extenced sizes.  The only items I can buy are mens items, which look mighty rediculous on me because of my large chest (which I have always had and can do nothing about).  The girls/womens clothing lines have never fit me, and I have always felt left out of the equation.  Being a spectator at many of my team’s games, I know there are many who share my frustrations.  I am hoping that one day, these products may be available, however I am not holding my breath.  Thank you, Metsgrrl, for finally stepping up and saying something.

I would never wear any of these options because I just don’t like the quality of VS clothes-unfortunately, there are a lot of women’s lines that have tissue thin fabrics that just don’t last as long as I need (and being in Texas, layering to cover my bra, etc is just NOT an option!)
I’ve used fabric paints to make my own player shirts for years now, starting with a man’s tshirt.  Maybe it’s a DIY thing, but I take it in where needed to show I have a waist AND get to keep the longer sleeves/cover the top of my jeans. If I want “rhinestones”, I’ll add them.  :)
For the record-the most attention I get from guys at the ballpark is when I wear my game-worn jersey. It’s a little too big, it’s long, it’s not from a big name on the team, but some guys just really dig that. ;)