Yankees and Nike Come to Agreement and Save Stores Surrounding Yankee Stadium

It's amazing what a little public pressure can do.

After it was reported that the new deal between MLB and Nike would crush local mom-and-pop businesses outside of Yankee Stadium that sell official team merchandise, the Yankees and the Swoosh have come to an agreement that will allow these businesses to continue selling gear in the South Bronx near the famous venue.

A proposed deal among the Yankees, Nike, and Major League Baseball would have barred these local businesses from selling officially licensed merchandise.

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. championed this effort to get a new deal done so these establishments, who largely rely on the selling of Yankee merchandise, can stay operational.

“I am pleased to learn that the New York Yankees, Nike and Major League Baseball were receptive to public pressure to do the right thing, and have heeded the concerns of our business community in the area surrounding Yankee Stadium,” Diaz Jr. said in a statement. “The news that these three entities have reversed their policy that would have prevented these longtime mom-and-pop stores from selling official Yankee merchandise is a welcome one.”

This controversy could've been avoided if the Yankees and MLB had just read the fine print to begin with, but it's great that this was able to be reversed so that a number of locally-owned businesses near River Avenue and 161st Street can continue to get a piece of the action.