Bulls announce franchise’s first jersey patch sponsor

On the surface, it seems like just another money grab by the Bulls, but they’re the 27th NBA team to throw a sponsored patch on their jerseys, so it’s more a sign of the times.

The Bulls and Zenni Optical announced a five-year partnership Tuesday that will make the eyewear company the franchise’s first patch sponsor. The deal also includes various marketing elements, community initiatives, digital assets and in-arena signage.

Here’s a look at the patch

“The Chicago Bulls jersey is one of the most iconic in the NBA and recognized across the globe, so it was important for us to be methodical and intentional in our search for a jersey patch partner,’’ Bulls president Michael Reinsdorf said. “This kind of partnership unites two brands in very substantial and visible ways, meaning that who we choose to partner with will represent so much of who we are as a team and signals to our fans what we stand for.

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“In our search, we put a high priority on partnering with a company that shares many of the Bulls’ values. Once we started our conversations with Zenni’s co-founder Julia Zhen and everyone at the company, it was quickly evident to us that they also place great importance on community and family, and for those reasons and many more, we are excited to officially welcome Zenni into our Bulls family.’’

The patch will appear on the left breast of all editions of the jersey this season and debut Thursday, when the Bulls play their first game of the regular season in Philadelphia.