3 min read

Issue 58: More of the usual, world records, Curry's surprise drop

Issue 58: More of the usual, world records, Curry's surprise drop

Here's your weekly review on what happened at the intersection of NFTs and Sports:

  • 🥊 DraftKings partners with UFC to launch Reignmakers NFT Game
  • 🏊 Fina offers NFTs to world record breakers at the 2022 championships
  • 🏀 Stephen Curry drops surprise 2974 merch during NBA Finals

Let's have a closer look! 👀

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🥊 DraftKings partners with UFC to launch Reignmakers NFT Game

"DraftKings announced its plan to expand the Reignmakers gamified digital collectibles franchise and launch a new iteration focused on UFC. Similar to the Reignmakers Football model, Reignmakers UFC will allow avid fans to build collections of their favorite UFC fighters and utilize them in a gamified format to compete for a variety of prizes. The first season of the game is expected to go live later this year, with NFT drops and auctions kicking off on June 27 before UFC 276: ADESANYA vs. CANNONIER. DraftKings Marketplace has agreed to new terms with UFC, allowing them access to fighter IP from over 500 athletes on the UFC active roster."

Source: DraftKings, UFC

🏊 Fina offers NFTs to world record breakers at the 2022 championships

"Aquatics world governing body Fina will give a personalised non-fungible token (NFT) to any athlete who breaks a world record at the World Championships in Budapest, due to start on the 18th June. Fina has partnered with Budapest-based digital artist Krizbo to create an illustration of each individual world record that will be minted and awarded to the athlete, who will also receive a US$50,000 prize. The organisation says the initiative reflects its desire to use digital technologies to enhance the sport and appeal to younger audiences."

Source: Fina

🏀 Stephen Curry drops surprise 2974 merch during NBA Finals

"Four-time NBA champion and two-time MVP Stephen Curry and his purpose-driven company, SC30 Inc., unveiled surprise merch during the NBA Finals Game 4 tunnel walk, which will be available exclusively to Curry’s 2974 Collection NFT holders. This initiative further offers collection holders with unique and one-of-a-kind experiences that connect them with Curry. With the help of his 2974 Discord channel, this exclusive merch was inspired by some of Curry’s most prized possessions – his tattoos. Specifically, Curry’s wrist tattoos tell a story of his drive to be better in basketball and in life, which is reflected through the hoodie and hat artwork. Customers must hold their 2974 Collection NFTs in a FTX digital wallet and will be notified via personalized codes prior to the store opening. Additionally, collection holders who own multiple NFTs will receive merch discounts based on the number of NFT’s they hold. At the time the store opens, customers will be able to purchase the hoodie and hat combo equipped with unique packaging and a personalized note from Curry himself."

🤓 Wrapping it up

So what have we learned in this week's issue?

  • "Smaller" sports keep innovating. We're seen this pattern in previous issues, and now Fina is another good example of a sport that is a bit less in the spotlight creating interesting new ideas around NFTs. World record breakers getting an NFT for their historic performance is a great idea to immortalise their success on the blockchain, making them a trade-able item as well. We're curious what holders are going to do with it.
  • Curry delivers. While he gets the most attention for his on court performances, Steph Curry keeps delivering on the NFT front as well. While many athlete-driven projects have a tendency to focus on the revenue side of things without giving too much utility to holders, Steph has managed to build an NFT project that not only donates significant amounts to charity but also provides real value to his audience. The merch drop being the latest example for that. Another example: Some of Curry's NFT holders will get a free trip to California to celebrate his birthday with him! Definitely a benchmark project, with more to come!

And that's it for this weeks issue! And as always: Feel free to reach out for feedback and to discuss all things NFT and sports! To stay up to date: Make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter for stats, drop announcements.