Sportswear brand New Era unveiled a new design for its MLB hats that probably could have used another copy edit.
The design featured teams’ shortened logos superimposed on top of the team’s name. For some, like the Boston Red Sox and the Philadelphia Phillies, the design created comical mashups like “Bobon” and “Phipies.”
But the design really didn’t work when it came to caps for some Texas and California teams that ended up accidentally spelling out vulgar words.
The Texas Rangers hat featured a “T” layered over the “X” in Texas, which spelled, in all caps, a slang word for breasts in Spanish. For the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Angels, the design brings to mind certain words relating to a person’s backside.
Amused fans were quick to point out the blunder, with many wondering how the mistakes weren’t caught much sooner.
As expected, New Era pulled the hats for those three teams from its site — but not before some could get their hands on them.
Some took to social media to show that they were able to purchase the hats, while others used the opportunity to resell the now-rare items on eBay, with one Rangers hat going for just under a thousand dollars on the site.
While the design may not be safe for work, some social media users expressed disappointment in not being able to snag the hats when they could.
This isn't the first time New Era has released designs with accidental vulgarities. Just last year, the brand was mocked over an Oakland A’s cap that featured an extra “s,” spelling a common cuss word.
It’s uncertain whether New Era will update the design for the Texas and California teams, but it’s clear that we’ll be seeing some of the recalled hats at future MLB games for years to come.
