The 2023 National Football League season kicks off in earnest September 7 in Kansas City.
The defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs host the upstart Detroit Lions before the usual ruckus crowd at Arrowhead Stadium. Millions will tune in to the NBC broadcast. In fact, upwards of 100 million viewers are expected during the opening Week 1 slate of games.
That’s a lot of eyeballs. Oakley knows a thing or two about eyeballs. And as the NFL continues to push player safety, its partnership with Oakley first announced in 2019 has been a rousing success.
That on-field partnership and license agreement between the two iconic brands recently got a seven-year extension. Oakley and the NFL will remain partners through 2030.
Oakley provides all 32 NFL teams and staff with pro-shields and eyewear. Hundreds of players wear either tinted or clear shields attached to their helmets during games. The shields protect players eyes from, among other things, the random or not so random finger pokes. The shields are designed “to help players see more detail and contrast in their environment.” The tinted sheilds offer the bonus of reducing the glare of the sun or bright stadium lights. All eyewear Oakley provides the NFL features PrismTM Lens Technology.
The partnership extension comes on the heels of a pair of related announcements earlier this summer.
The eyewear brand in early August revealed a partnership with NFL FLAG. The agreement extends Oakley’s commitment to Move The Game Forward, an initiative focused on young athletes and encouraging positive community impact beyond the playing field.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, center, has his own signature eyewear line with Oakley. Mahomes is joined by St. Pius X High School students during a promotional shoot.
Courtesy: Oakley
Oakley also recently released the Patrick Mahomes II Signature Series Collection. No doubt, if you watch, you’ll most likely catch the Chiefs superstar quarterback and reigning Super Bowl MVP wearing a pair of shades from his collection during Thursday’s telecast. (You can check out the commercial he made with students from a Kansas City area high school below.)
“The partnership with the NFL is far from being a conventional sponsorship deal. Rather, it grants us the opportunity to offer young people access to [sic] sport, to a better life and community,” says Caio Amato, Oakley’s Global Head of Marketing in a press release. “This collaboration not only nurtures athletes but also shapes well-rounded individuals to make a difference both on and off the field. Moving forward, our goal is to continue inspiring these kids to believe in themselves, to be who they are, while also pushing the boundaries of innovation to establish a new standard for the entire sports industry.”
Other NFL players who have joined Mahomes on Team Oakley include Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf, Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, and Minnesota Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson.
NFL fans looking to show support for their favorite player or team can check out the Oakley Custom Program at Oakley.com.
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