FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oakley, Inc. today announced it has entered into a partnership agreement with Little League® International, making the company the Official Eyewear Sponsor of Little League Baseball and Softball.
“We are honored to be Little League’s new partner and proud to bring our premium technologies to today’s young players,” said Oakley CEO Colin Baden. “With 2.4 million boys and girls playing in more than 80 countries, Little League is the world’s largest youth sports organization, and the partnership will further our efforts to promote awareness of eye safety for youth around the globe.”
This year marks the 75th anniversary of Little League, and part of its ongoing success can be attributed to assistance provided by sponsorships that offset the costs of programs on the local league level. Partnerships such as the new alliance with Oakley help maintain low team affiliation fees and provide valuable training, educational resources and expertise, aiding in projects such as the Coaches Resource Center video training and the new Tee Ball program.
Baden continued, “From Hall of Famers Tony Gwynn and Rickey Henderson to today’s superstars like Miguel Cabrera and Matt Kemp, some of the greatest players in the game consider Oakley eyewear to be essential gear for the sport. Tomorrow’s legends deserve the performance of our optical innovation. More importantly, players young and old need the protection of our technologies because injuries can happen in the blink of an eye.”
Oakley recently introduced new sport performance eyewear for youth called Quarter Jacket™. Specially engineered to fit youth, Quarter Jacket blends the convenience of an interchangeable lens design with clarity and protection so the new generation of athletes can take advantage of the company’s optical breakthroughs, including uncompromising impact resistance.
The nation’s leading volunteer eye health and safety organization dedicated to fighting blindness and saving sight, Prevent Blindness, estimates that more than 31,000 people a year suffer eye injuries related to sports activities, and 4,040 of those injuries occur in baseball and softball. The American Academy of Ophthalmology estimates that 90 percent of eye injuries are preventable with the use of proper safety eyewear. Oakley sports technology is synonymous with protection, and head-on protection provided by its new Quarter Jacket eyewear meets ANSI Z87.1 standards for high-mass and high-velocity impact. In addition, Oakley Plutonite® lens material filters out 100% of all UVA, UVB, UVC and harmful blue light up to 400nm.
“Little League’s national partners play an important role in ensuring that millions of boys and girls have a wonderful Little League experience, and parents have a healthy, affordable recreational outlet for their children,” said Liz DiLullo Brown, Little League Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Partnerships. “We’re excited to welcome Oakley as the Official Eyewear Sponsor of Little League Baseball and Softball and work with them to inform all our players, parents and volunteers on the role that Oakley products can play in enhancing the experience on the field."
Little League strives to find partners that fit its mission of giving all children a positive, safe experience in the sport, and Oakley will provide opportunities and information on eye protection and performance. The company will be on site at the Little League Baseball® World Series this year to educate consumers on the critical benefits of eye protection and the optical superiority of Oakley eyewear provided by the company’s renowned High Definition Optics® (HDO®). Oakley also intends to outfit regional teams at the Little League Baseball World Series with customized eyewear.
Visit Oakley.com to learn more about the company’s performance products for men and women. Also visit us at Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.
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About Oakley, Inc.
Established in 1975 and headquartered in Southern California, Oakley is one of the leading sports brands in the world. The holder of more than 675 patents, Oakley is continually seeking problems, solving them with inventions and wrapping those inventions in art. This philosophy has made Oakley one of the most iconic and inimitable brands on the market, with innovations that world-class athletes around the globe depend on to compete at the highest level possible. Oakley is famed for its insuperable lens technologies such as High Definition Optics® (HDO®) which is incorporated into all Oakley sunglasses and prescription eyewear, and all premium Oakley goggles. Oakley has extended its leadership position as the world’s leading sports eyewear brand into apparel, footwear and accessories collections. Laser focused on the consumer, Oakley has both men’s and women’s product lines that target Sports Performance, Active and Lifestyle consumers. Oakley is a subsidiary of Luxottica Group. Additional information is available at www.oakley.com.
About Little League®
Little League® Baseball and Softball is the world’s largest organized youth sports program, with 2.4 million players and one million adult volunteers in every U.S. state and more than 80 other countries. In 2014, Little League is celebrating its 75th Anniversary of developing major league people. For more information, visit LittleLeague.org, or follow the Little League on Facebook (facebook.com/LittleLeague) or Twitter (twitter.com/LittleLeague). Celebrate Little League’s 75th Anniversary online at LittleLeagueBigLegacy.com, official hashtag: #LittleLeague75.
