Fanatics Hockey Jersey Review
Fanatics Hockey Jersey Key Points
Are Fanatics hockey jerseys good quality products?
In my opinion, based on my own experience with one… yes.
I believe most of the controversy about Fanatics jerseys boils down to the fact that they offer different quality tiers at different price points.
In short, you get the quality that you pay for. If you want better quality, pay a little more for their Authentic Pro Jersey line.
Updated: February 17, 2025 Written by Bill Burniece
For well over a year, mostly in online hockey forums, I have been watching all of the controversy around Fanatics being chosen as the official jersey provider for the NHL.
The Fanatics hockey jersey controversy was alive and well.
And a lot of people were pissed off. And I will get to all of that.
I have several NHL jerseys made by other companies including Reebok, Adidas and CCM. Many of them are framed, signed, and never used before.
I was curious why the NHL would choose an exclusive jersey manufacturer that has so much controversy clouding it.
Then one day, a few weeks before the start of the 4 Nations Face Off Tournament, I received an email from Fanatics. In my role as a blogger here, I was chosen to receive one of the four jerseys in exchange for writing an honest review of what I thought about the jersey.
A few weeks later I received a box in the mail containing a brand new Team Norway 4 Nations Face Off Jersey (pictured).
Below, I will give you a detailed unbiased review of what I think about the quality of this jersey.
But before we get there, I have to follow the law with an official disclosure…
Disclosure: The jersey I am reviewing was sent to me from Fanatics at no cost to me. If you decide to buy any Fanatics jersey or any other gear using links on this page, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Who Is Fanatics?
Fanatics is a sports company that designs, manufactures, and sell licensed sporting gear including jerseys, streetwear, headwear, hardgoods, and more.
They have hundreds of sports partners around the globe that offer products and services via Fanatics Commerce, Fanatics Betting & Gaming, and Fanatics Collectibles allowing sports fans to Buy, Bet, and Collect.
Through the Fanatics platform website, sports fans can buy licensed team and fan gear – incuding hockey jerseys.
After humble beginnings in 1998, Fanatics has grown into an established brand with:
- More than 100 million fans and customers around the world
- A global partner network that has more than 900 sports properties – including major national and international professional sports leagues, players associations, teams, colleges & college conferences, and retail partners
- Over 22,000 employees that are dedicated to growing sports
- More than 5,000 athletes and celebrities – including 250+ exclusive athletes
- Over 2,000 retail locations – including their ‘Lids’ hat retail franchise
Fanatics 4 Nations Hockey Jerseys
To say that the 4 Nations Face Off Tournament has been a success, is a huge understatment.
In the age of crappy All-Star Games, it looks like the NHL figured out a very successful and fun format to replace their own All-Star game.
The jerseys that Fanatics created for the 4 Nations Tourney are beautiful in their simplicity.
My Personal Experience
I was pleasently surprised when I unboxed my new jersey.
What immediately stood out was that the colors were bright and the logos and patches were hand-stitched on.
It’s important to note that the jersey type they sent me was the Fanatics Premium Jersey, a step down in quality from the Pro Jersey line that the NHL players wear.
The level of detail in these jerseys is really nice. My jersey, representing Finland, has really nice ornamental raised-relief symbols on the sleeve and waist trim, along with the jersey collar.
I was surprised and pleased to learn that they decided to make only one jersey for each of the 4 Nations teams to wear.
There don’t have the standard home and away jerseys, there is only one per team.
This looked really cool during the games to have all of that color nicely contrasting with the ice.
Wearing the jersey also drove home the quality. It was light but durable with nice breathable fabric. It fit nicely in the shoulders and was short enough to not look like a dress.
All in all, it’s a really nice jersey.
Click the button below to grab your own now:
Fanatics Hockey Jersey Sizing
If you’re wondering about ordering the proper size jersey, Fanatics has you covered.
On their website you’ll find a detailed chart that lists all of the parameters you need: Neck, Chest, Waist, Hip, Length, etc.
What About All Of The Negativity?
Fanatics has been the frequent target of criticism over its history.
“Fanatics is considered by many a monopoly in North America due its aggressive ventures into sports merchandising and collectible card markets
and anti-competitive conduct with other businesses.”*
They have also been received more than their share of fan criticism. Many sports fans believe Fanatics products are poorly made, having issues with the quality, accuracy, and design of their gear.
Many hockey fans were incensed when The National Hockey League and Fanatics signed a 10-year contract in March 2023, making Fanatics the official (and sole) provider of the NHL’s team uniforms.
Source: Wikipedia
What You Need To Know About The Quality Tiers
I believe some of the criticism about Fanatics is based on a lower quality tier jersey being compared to premium jerseys from other manufacturers.
When it comes to quality, you get what you pay for. To make hockey jerseys available to everyone, Fanatics has four different levels of quality jerseys available:
- Fanatics Practice Jerseys: These jerseys are the retail version of the practice jerseys being worn by all 32 NHL teams. While they look identical, that fact is that they are made with a lower quality material than the ones that the NHL players wear. While they feature a new crest treatment, they are not available with names and numbers. However, you can ask a local jersey company to add these if you really want them
- Fanatics Breakaway Jerseys: The Breakaway jerseys are designed for fans that want a little more comfort and style with jerseys made with a soft, durable fabric called FanTex. These jerseys are light and foldable, and have FanFlex logos and patches. These jerseys allow you to add a name and number on the back
- Fanatics Premium Jerseys: The Premium jerseys are just a step down in quality from the authentic Pro jerseys. The Premium jersey is the style I was given by Fanatics, and I will go into detail about the quality of it below. It is made with a nice 2-mesh stretchy material and feature an NHL center ice woven neck label. These jerseys are also available with a name and number
- Fanatics Authentic Pro Jerseys: The Pro jerseys are the same ones worn by NHL players. To my surprise, they are made in the same Canadian factory that has made NHL jerseys for almost 50 years. The jerseys are made with adizero technology for breathability and mobility. While they offer nice ventilation and mobility, they are also durable to make them harder to rip or tear. The official crest on the front is exactly the same as the ones used by all 32 NHL teams. These jerseys also have customization options
How To Wash Your Jersey
One topic about Fanatics hockey jerseys that comes up often is “how do I wash this thing?”
If you wear your jersey to play drop-in hockey you’ll hopefully be washing it after every session.
If you only wear your jerseys to attend games, you still might drop some mustard on it.
How To Wash Your Fanatics Hockey Jersey:
- Turn the jersey inside out: This protects the logos, numbers, and especially the stitching from damage by rubbing against other things in the washer
- Only use cold water: Always use cold water to prevent any potential shrinkage (Thanks to Seinfeld, women DO know about shrinkage)
- Use a mild detergent: Only use a mild detergent that is designed for delicate fabrics
- Dial in your Gentle cycle: Select your washers Gentle wash cycle to avoid excessive punishment
- Avoid using your dryer: Instead, let it air dry to avoid shrinking it
- Never use any bleach or fabric softener: This mistake can bleach the colors on your jersey or jack up its breathability
Let’s Wrap It Up
I am grateful for Fanatics for choosing me to review one of their jerseys.
Everybody likes free stuff.
But beyond that, I was able to determine for myself that the jerseys they make are of fine quality. And remember, I wasn’t even reviewing one of their top-of-the-line Pro jerseys.
We all know a lot of the product reviews and opinions we read online are complete BS or at least based on a heavy bias for one reason or another.
I plan on shopping Fanatics hockey products going forward. They not only have nice jerseys, they also have some great team sweatshirts, hats, and other gear repping your favorite team.
I hope you enjoyed reading my review on the Fanatics hockey jersey.
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