(PRESS RELEASE) NOVATO, CA — Zenni Optical, the eyewear industry’s leading online retailer, announced its first ever MLS partnership and will become the Official Eyewear of Major League Soccer’s Columbus Crew. The partnership extends Zenni’s commitment to Ohio and the greater Columbus community, as the leading eyewear retailer is growing its manufacturing facility in Obetz, Ohio, with plans to employ more than 400 people over the next few years.
As the Official Eyewear of the Columbus Crew, Zenni will support and develop community engagement events centered around eye health and education and gifting glasses to those in need. Zenni’s Ohio-based employees will also receive unparalleled access to games and Lower.com Field through hospitality, event space usage and private tours.
“We recently opened our first U.S. manufacturing facility in Obetz, outside Columbus, and our partnership with the Columbus Crew will help us give back to this community and thank our stellar and growing workforce. We are excited for the Columbus Crew to become a part of our growing Ohio family,” said Julia Zhen, CEO and founder of Zenni. “Additionally, with the increasing popularity of soccer and MLS, we’re thrilled to welcome the Columbus Crew to our roster of professional sports partners – helping us connect with fans and grow awareness for the Zenni brand.”
As part of the three-year partnership, Zenni will be visible in-stadium at various touchpoints including an in-game “Zenni View” to show the greatest replays via a Zenni lens, in-stadium signage, a Zenni title night with giveaway items and other digital branding assets. Zenni and The Crew plan to develop a limited-edition pair of frames for fans and players.
“We are pleased to begin our partnership with Zenni and are honored to be their first professional partner within Major League Soccer given their growing local presence in Central Ohio,” said Columbus Crew President of Business Operations Kristin Bernert. “Community engagement is a core pillar for the Columbus Crew, and we are looking forward to assisting Zenni’s impactful efforts to increase eye health education, as well as their generosity in the form of eyewear donations – supporting Columbus community members in need.”
Zenni’s first U.S. manufacturing facility in Obetz is now producing nearly 2,000 glasses a day, supporting Zenni’s mission to provide affordable eyewear to all by reaching customers in a shorter time frame without compromising quality. In addition to reducing reliance on the global supply chain, the Ohio factory allows Zenni to reach more than 60 percent of its customer base with its expedited shipping offering where U.S.-based customers can receive new glasses at their door in as quick as two business days. This includes a broad selection of hundreds of popular frame styles that can be ordered with single-vision prescriptions, sunglasses or Blokz®, Zenni’s blue light-blocking lenses, for expedited delivery.
The Columbus Crew is Zenni’s fourth professional sports partnership. Zenni began building its sports marketing portfolio with the Chicago Bulls in 2018 and have expanded to become the Official Eyewear of the San Francisco 49ers and Boston Red Sox.
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