They’ve got balls. Literally.
This week at Citi Field and Yankee Stadium, two rival streetwear brands are stepping up to the plate with branded merch for New York’s beloved baseball teams, the Mets and the Yankees.
Who will capture the hearts and the closet space of sports-loving Big Apple shoppers?
Taking a big swing in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park is Eric Emanuel, the bombastic “king of shorts” with fans like Travis Scott, LeBron James and Justin Bieber.
His 10-year-old namesake brand has partnered with Adidas and BAPE in the past, but on July 10, he became a member of the New York Mets family with a capsule collection of shorts, tees, hoodies, New Era hats and a limited-edition nacho helmet (which was only available at the stadium), ranging in price from $68 to $168.
Mets center fielder A.J. Ewing and third baseman Brett Baty are the team faces for the special drop, which can be purchased on the brand’s site or at Emanuel’s SoHo store.
“The Mets are a storied New York team,” Emanuel told The Post. “They are iconic.”
Meanwhile, in the Bronx, the pinstripe mafia has hooked up with Big Apple streetwear label Goat USA for an exclusive first drop of $59 graphic tees and $124 hoodies stamped with the label’s mascot, a cartoon goat named Chuck with giant sunglasses and a tight smile wearing a NYY uniform, fronted by first baseman Ben Rice, who told Women’s Wear Daily he was “all in” the moment Goat USA came calling.
“This is a huge moment for me personally and for my family,” said label co-founder Dylan McLaughlin, a Syracuse native who calls himself a “lifelong” fan of the New York team. “It’s truly a highlight of my life.”
“He’s the actual goat,” McLaughlin said about the brand’s mascot, “and then the Yankees are the baseball GOAT.”
But here’s the thing about calling yourself “the greatest” — it doesn’t actually work if you’re losing, which might put both streetwear brands in a bit of a jam.
Rice bombed last night’s peculiar Netflix Home Run Derby and the Mets lost their Friday night game against the Red Sox.
Both streetwear labels seem undeterred.
McLaughlin emphasized that his Yankees collection “is as much about community as it is about the win,” saying that Chuck the Goat is meant to be like Mickey Mouse or Hello Kitty, a mascot that brings people together in the name of fun instead of FanDuel cash.
“And if you want to do that in quality clothing that’s really set apart from other sports merch, that’s us. We care so deeply about how our clothes are made, how they last… We do it with charm and class… We absolutely win that category,” he added.
Emanuel would beg to differ — except the swagger-driven entrepreneur has probably never begged for anything in his life.
“We did a full stadium takeover of that Red Sox game on Friday with our merch,” he said. “We created a full, gorgeous moment in time. We made Eric Emanuel nacho helmets. We gave out shirts.” (Emanuel estimates that over $75,000 was spent on the promotion.)
“Will the Mets always win? Not on the field. But in general? Yes. And in streetwear? Yes. There’s not a New York brand right now,” he insisted, “who can go up against me.”
The next Subway Series between the Mets and the Yankees takes place on Sept. 11 — Sept. 13, leaving shoppers exactly 2 months to get dressed for the occasion.
