Zenni Scores First MLS Sponsorship – Becomes Official Eyewear of Major League Soccer’s Columbus Crew

BY Sydnee Zuber
IN Press
Feb 23, 2023

As Zenni scales its new Columbus-area manufacturing facility, The Crew partnership extends Zenni’s support of its local employees and community

NOVATO, Calif. (February 23, 2023) – /”>Zenni Optical, the eyewear industry’s leading online retailer, announced today 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 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.

For more information, please visit /blog/press/”>Zenni.com/Press.

About Columbus Crew

Columbus Crew is the first club in Major League Soccer. The Crew is operated by Haslam Sports Group and the Edwards Family. The Black & Gold are the 2021 Campeones Cup winners. The Club has won two MLS Cup championships in 2008 and 2020, one Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in 2002, as well as MLS Supporters’ Shield titles in 2004, 2008 and 2009. The 2023 campaign is the Crew’s 28th season in MLS as well as the Club’s second full season at Lower.com Field.

About Zenni

Zenni pioneered the online eyewear industry in 2003 with a mission to make prescription eyewear affordable and accessible to everyone. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Zenni offers adults and children the freedom to express their personal style through high-quality prescription and protective eyewear curated with a sense for fashion and incredible selection. With complete prescription pairs starting at just $6.95, and averaging just over $40, the company has brought massive price disruption to the traditional retail model. With over 50 million frames sold worldwide, a pair of Zennis is owned in every country across the globe. Zenni is proud to be the Official Eyewear of the San Francisco 49ers, Boston Red Sox and the Chicago Bulls. Zenni has worked with designers and tastemakers on curations and collections, including Iris Apfel, Rashida Jones, Cynthia Rowley, Coco + Breezy and George and Claire Kittle. For more information, please visit Zenni.com/Press.

Contacts
zenni@allisonpr.com