SAN DIEGO, CA / ACCESS Newswire / December 9, 2025 / The founder of Jersey Loco still owns that black Mexico away jersey from the 2010 World Cup. It was a gift, the first authentic soccer kit he ever received, and he keeps it as a reminder of why he started the company in the first place. Back then, he was the kid wearing cheap knockoffs from the Tijuana border while teammates showed up in official gear.
Fast forward to 2025. Jersey Loco just got acquired by Zillennial Technologies Inc., capping off a six-year journey that saw the San Diego-based company ship over 100,000 orders and hit more than $5 million in revenue. Not bad for a business that started with $44.
The Bench Moment That Changed Everything
Here's the thing about the Jersey Loco origin story - it's not the typical tech startup narrative. No Stanford dorm room. No venture capital pitch deck. Just a community college soccer player sitting on the bench during summer practice in 2018, injured from sliding on scorching turf, watching his teammates in the newest jerseys.
"I had this moment where I thought, why should people have to choose between quality and affordability?" the founder said. "I kept seeing it everywhere. Parents skipping meals to buy their kids authentic jerseys. Talented players quitting teams because they couldn't afford proper gear."
The stats back up what he was seeing. Research shows the global football merchandise market hit $14 billion in 2023, dominated by established brands with massive retail markups. Meanwhile, e-commerce sales reached $1.192 trillion in 2024, growing at 7.5% - more than double traditional retail.
That gap between what customers were paying and what they could pay? That's where Jersey Loco found its opening.
The $44 Investment (and Selling a Car)
The path to starting Jersey Loco wasn't exactly smooth. The founder was juggling full-time studies at community college, playing on the soccer team, and working full-time at Verizon Wireless when his coach told him there would be "no exceptions for anyone" about his schedule. He quit Verizon. Chose soccer and school over steady income.
Then the money ran out completely. FAFSA funds were gone, so he sold his car just to afford Ubers to practice. You can tell this still bothers him when he talks about calculating food and transportation costs, realizing he was headed for a financial wall.
"At first it was supposed to be just a side hustle," he said. "I educated myself through YouTube, invested $44 - $30 for a Shopify subscription and $14 for a domain. I set my work schedule to match the hours of the Starbucks near me. If they were open 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., that's when I was working on the business."
What's striking is how that constraint actually helped. With no capital, he couldn't afford the kind of mistakes venture-backed competitors made. Every dollar had to work.
Why Direct-to-Consumer Actually Mattered
Most people think the direct-to-consumer model is just about cutting out middlemen, but here's where it gets more interesting. Analysis of DTC brand advantages shows these companies "save money" by eliminating retail, but Jersey Loco's approach went further than that.
They partnered with manufacturers who prioritized quality over absolute lowest cost, then sold direct. The result was 40-60% lower prices than traditional retail while maintaining premium materials. Customer acquisition costs stayed under $25 versus industry averages of $50-100 for apparel.
"The breakthrough wasn't rocket science," the founder explained. "We realized established brands couldn't pivot to pure DTC without cannibalizing their retail relationships. We never had those relationships to protect."
That positioning matters more now. The direct-to-consumer market reached $162.91 billion in 2024 and is projected to hit $595.19 billion by 2033. Jersey Loco's timing, accidental or not, put them in the right place.
The Zillennial Acquisition: Not An Exit
When Zillennial Technologies Inc. acquired Jersey Loco earlier this year, the founder was clear about what it meant - and what it didn't mean.
"This isn't an exit for me. It's acceleration," he said. "What I couldn't do with $44 and hustle alone was build enterprise-level infrastructure. Now we have access to enhanced analytics, distribution networks, technology resources. But we're keeping the direct customer relationships that got us here."
The acquisition makes sense when you look at where e-commerce is headed. Data shows 426 mid-tier retailers ranked 101-2,000 are growing faster than the industry average, while only 33 of the top 100 achieve those rates. Smaller, nimble brands with technology partnerships are outmaneuvering giants stuck protecting legacy retail.
For Jersey Loco, that means expanding beyond jerseys into sports lifestyle apparel and accessories while maintaining the affordability model. They're exploring technology-driven loyalty programs using tools like Klaviyo, Attentive, and Omnisend for personalization at scale.
What Comes Next
The founder's vision hasn't really changed since that bench moment in 2018. Provide affordable soccer jerseys to kids who grew up like he did. Help parents who know what it's like to choose between rent and gear. Build community around the sport.
"Success for me isn't just hitting revenue numbers," he said. "It's knowing we've helped 100,000+ customers access quality gear they couldn't afford otherwise. It's planning to sponsor community sports programs so more kids can play."
The soccer merchandise market is projected to reach $1.54 billion by 2029, so there's plenty of room for what Jersey Loco is building. That said, the founder seems less interested in market share than in staying true to the original mission.
You get the sense he still sees himself as that kid on the bench watching teammates in authentic gear, except now he's in a position to change the equation for others.
About Jersey Loco
Jersey Loco is an online retailer specializing in affordable, high-quality soccer jerseys for athletes and enthusiasts. Founded in 2018 in San Diego, California, the company has shipped over 100,000 orders and operates as a direct-to-consumer brand focused on eliminating the trade-off between cost and performance. Jersey Loco was acquired by Zillennial Technologies Inc. in 2025.
For more information, visit jerseyloco.com or follow on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook.
Media/contact details -
Jose A. Zillennial Investor Relations
Contact email: mailto:investors@zillennialtech.com
Contact phone number: +1 (619) 674-8902 (tel:+16196748902)
Company website: https://zillennial.xyz/
City & Country: San Diego, United States
SOURCE: Zillennial Technologies Inc.
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire