After reading the pilot script, The Major League Baseball Corporation and The New York Yankees team declined a request for a cooperative licensing arrangement that would have allowed the series to use established team names and locations. "There were particular elements we weren't comfortable being associated with", MLB spokesman Carmine Tiso said. This necessitated the creation of fictional leagues, teams, and stadiums. The show was also forced after filming the pilot to quickly abandon the pinstripes on the Empire uniforms as they were too similar to the Yankees. The pinstripes were even digitally erased from promos for the series premiere.