Ebbets Field is expanding its offerings to include contemporary men’s sportswear while honoring its historical roots in baseball.
Ebbets Field, a name synonymous with baseball history, particularly within New York, is undergoing a significant rebranding. The stadium, located in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, served as the home for the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1913 until 1957 and was also associated with the Brooklyn Eagles of the Negro Leagues. Ebbets Field Flannels, established in 1988 and acquired by Lids in 2022, is known for its vintage athletic apparel, reproduction baseball hats, and wool flannel jerseys, often representing teams that are no longer active, such as the Homestead Grays and the New York Black Yankees.
On Tuesday, the company introduced its new strategy, which aims to broaden its offerings beyond historic jerseys to include a contemporary baseball-inspired men’s sportswear line. The inaugural collection will spotlight the Homestead Grays, a prominent team in the Negro Leagues known for its star catcher, Josh Gibson, whose statistics were formally recognized by Major League Baseball last year.
Sunny Chang, the design director, discussed the motivations behind the rebrand, stating, “We want to get back to what made Ebbets super successful. It has always offered a lot of authentic replica pieces of the history of baseball first, and then eventually everything else in sports, from the NHL to football to basketball. So our job is to continue to tell that story for a customer that loves it but is wanting more.” The targeted demographic for this new approach includes fashion enthusiasts who may not necessarily be die-hard sports fans. Chang elaborated, “If you love the Brooklyn Eagles, how can we take that logo and sentiment and apply it to garments like a jacket or work shirt and tell the story in a way that makes sense.”
The upcoming collection will feature a variety of apparel, such as outerwear, jerseys, shirts, and hats, designed to echo vintage sports uniforms while also being suitable for modern menswear. Some of these products will incorporate felt appliqués, chenille embroidery, and vintage screen prints to enhance their aesthetic appeal. Chang characterized the new offerings as “a little more wearable and something the modern gentleman can wear every day,” highlighting the intent to blend functionality with style.
Among the new products is a Brooklyn Eagles cap crafted from cotton twill instead of wool and a program inspired by the uniforms worn by the grounds crew, featuring an Eisenhower-style jacket adorned with logos from the Homestead Grays. Additional items in the collection include varsity jackets with leather sleeves priced at $595, a satin varsity jacket retailing for $328, a crewneck sweatshirt at $138, and short-sleeve T-shirts ranging from $54 to $58.
Despite the shift in focus, Ebbets Field will maintain its commitment to its historical roots in baseball. Notably, on April 15, the company plans to launch a special capsule collection celebrating Jackie Robinson, featuring the original flannels he donned while playing for the Kansas City Monarchs prior to joining the Dodgers in 1947. “You can see the originals in a museum, and we’re trying to evolve that for a new generation,” Chang noted. Following this, a collection honoring Roberto Clemente will be released in June.
Since its acquisition by Lids, there has been discourse surrounding Ebbets Field’s transition away from authentic replica products toward a more hat-centric approach, typical of its parent company. Chang reassured customers that the rebranding involves the revival of numerous historically popular items. “We’re bringing a lot of old stuff back,” he remarked, indicating an awareness of customer loyalty towards these traditional offerings. The reimagined collections will be available for purchase on the company’s website as well as through the Baseball Hall of Fame and other select baseball-themed museums.
Source: Noah Wire Services
