If you see the reaction, almost no one likes the All-Star Game jerseys. Most of compared them to soccer jerseys, but the main gist is they’re just awful.

The Mets' All-Star Game jerseys and hats have been released. pic.twitter.com/5tvGjZrx0o

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 24, 2021

Generally speaking, who cares? After all, it’s just a workout jersey. It’s just something players wear during workouts, prospects wear during the Future’s Game, and the celebrities and legends wear during the softball game. Beyond that, it’s just another jersey purchased by a limited portion of fans.

Except, it’s not that this year. No, this year, the players are going to wear these jerseys in the field breaking an 86 year tradition of players wearing their team jerseys. Much like the swoosh on the jerseys, it’s another instance of MLB eliminating sacred tradition for a little extra money from Nike.

We could walk through the arguments how it makes players less recognizable on the field thereby making it more difficult to market the game. There are other arguments related to the impact it must have on first time players who don’t get to fulfill a lifelong dream of wearing their team’s jersey in an All-Star Game.

In the end, none of it really matters. The game will be played, and the fans will watch. That said, it’s going to come at a cost.

It may not be significant enough at first to matter, but some fans will be turned off by this. They’re not going to like it, and their interest in the game is just that much less.

It’s just like the universal DH. In the end, it accomplishes nothing. It doesn’t increase runs per game, it reduces strategy, and in the end, despite all the narratives, there’s actually less interest in the DH style of baseball.

More than that, the universal DH only serves to strike a blow at the interest and love of the game of the hardcore fans. These are the fans who the sport relies upon not only to watch everyday and buy merchandise, but they also need them to pass the game down to their children and grandchildren. Baseball seemingly needs this more than any other sport.

It’s the same with the All-Star Game jerseys. You can add three pitcher minimums, no intentional walks, seven inning doubleheaders, runners on second, and whatever cockamamie rule they come up with next.

If MLB keeps pushing the envelope, the hardcore fans aren’t going to care nearly as much. They’re going to watch and follow but not with the same intensity. They’re also not going to be as interested in passing the game onto the next generation.

In the end, Rob Manfred will get the complete opposite of what he wanted. He’ll get less interest in the game. Considering all he’s done, that seems fitting, and those ugly All-Star Game jerseys can be symbol for all he’s done wrong to this game.