All Articles
December 9, 2024
NFTs are continuing to create a hype even in these troubled bear-market days, and this naturally attracts people from parts of society to invest in the field. However, it seems that for some reason, NFTs attract the interest of a lot of athletes and people in the sporting industry. Athletes have always been known to invest in a range of assets and businesses, but now they’re also getting into cryptocurrency and the blockchain game. What links NFTs with athletes, and what more manifestations of the connection between NFTs and sport we are expected to see? stay tuned.
First, let’s take a look at some very prominent athletes who own Board Apes: Stephen Curry has a Board Ape; So does LaMelo Ball, Shaquille O’Neal, Andrew Wiggins, Serena Williams, Ben Simmons, Neymar, Tom Brady, Reece James, Memphis Depay and more. You get the picture: These are the world’s biggest stars, and they wanted to get their hands on a bored ape.
Some athletes took it even further. For instance, the aforementioned Shaquille O’Neal has his own NFT collection: 10,000 images of Shaq with funny outfits (revenues go to the Shaquille O’Neal Foundation, for disadvantaged youth). Cristiano Ronaldo has collaborated with Binance (And his sworn adversary, Messi, is expected to do the same); Luka Modric started a collection, Andy Murray and more.
But the NFT game is already in the big leagues. For instance, One of the most prominent NFT projects is the NBA Top Shot. It is basically a marketplace built on Flow blockchain, where you can officially buy NBA moments. The project was developed by the NBA with Dapper Labs (CryptoKitties), with investment from some high profile investors such as NBA legend Michael Jordan, and active players and also-legends, Kevin Durrant and Klay Thompson. The NBA is considered a relatively early adopter of NFTs (early 2020), and the project is a big success (Over a billion dollars in trading volume so far). Furthermore, there is a chance that the English premier league has filed for patents in The U.S for NFTs, cryptocurrencies, digital tokens and collectibles on its assets.
The only question yet to answer is “why”; why do NFTs and sports go together?
New Generation Of collectibles
First, we can see that the NFT culture is merging into other cultures. We are seeing it in the music culture, and we are seeing it around sports. Hell, the NFT Culture has even taken over the SuperBowl.
But the main reason that NFTs and sport go so well together is the opportunity for collectibles: Sport fans often love their sport idols in a religious fashion. They want to have a certain connection with their heros. That is why they not only go to games or watch them on TV, but they buy their team’s scarfs and their favorite player’s jersey. NFT offers a new opportunity for sport fans, to have something that is officially linked with their heroes.
Furthermore, maybe you have noticed the incredible enthusiasm around baseball cards: NFTs offer fans a chance of owning new kinds of cards that will never wear out, or accidently thrown into the bin. Fans can own exciting sports moments, feel that they own a part of history.
All and all, that is what we all want: Feel like we are a part of something bigger. That is what sport can give us, and now, NFTs can give it too.
Let us know how we can help you!
