Frank Thomas Sues White Sox, Nike, Fanatics Over City Connect Jerseys
Frank Thomas has filed a lawsuit in Cook County circuit court. He accuses the Chicago White Sox, Nike and Fanatics of profiting from jerseys bearing his name without permission.
The complaint seeks at least $50,000 and punitive damages. Thomas asserts he received no payment or other consideration for the use of his name and likeness.
The filing has circulated online under the phrase Frank Thomas Sues White Sox, Nike, Fanatics Over City Connect Jerseys. The suit centers on the team’s City Connect 2.0 jersey.
Lawsuit claims and defendants
Thomas alleges the White Sox, Nike and Fanatics sold the City Connect 2.0 jersey with his name and number without consent. He says the defendants retained benefits that he never agreed to provide.
The complaint lists additional parties as respondents in discovery. Those include the Baseball Hall of Fame, the Chicago Bulls and major retailers. Dick’s Sporting Goods, Academy, Kohl’s, Lids and Macy’s appear among the retailers named.
Availability and company responses
The same City Connect 2.0 jersey remains available for purchase on Nike and Fanatics websites. The White Sox declined to comment on ongoing litigation in a statement to Filmogaz.com.
Nike and Fanatics also declined to comment. An attorney for Thomas told Filmogaz.com that the lawsuit speaks for itself.
Thomas’ Hall of Fame résumé
Thomas spent most of his career with the White Sox. He hit 521 career home runs, with 448 coming in Chicago.
The White Sox retired his No. 35 in 2010. He entered the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014 and served as a team consultant for business operations in 2016.
History of disputes with the franchise
The current lawsuit follows a recent public dispute over a White Sox social post. The team’s Black History Month graphic did not include Thomas, prompting his public rebuke on X.
Thomas noted the omission and said he would keep records of it. The team’s graphic referenced Dick Allen as the club’s first Black MVP and also mentioned Ken Williams multiple times.
Thomas previously clashed with then–general manager Ken Williams late in his career. The most notable dispute involved a 2002 diminished-skills clause that reduced Thomas’ pay.
Williams became the White Sox’s general manager in 2000. He was among the earliest Black GMs in MLB history, and he and Thomas exchanged sharp public comments over the years.
