5 min read

Issue No. 7: PSG and the Warriors get creative, athletes keep it coming

Issue No. 7: PSG and the Warriors get creative, athletes keep it coming

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

  • ⚽ Paris Saint-Germain launches artistic NFTs
  • 🏀 Golden State Warriors launch legacy NFT collection
  • 👾 Rapinoe, Bird, Keen, Eichel, Jacheol, etc. get involved

Make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter for stats, drop announcements and more.

⚽ Paris Saint-Germain launches artistic NFTs

It is known that football giant Paris Saint-Germain are amongst the early adaptors of blockchain technology. Fabien Allègre, Director of Brand Diversification and Merchandising:

“We have long embraced the evolutions in the Blockchain world, as the first Club to issue our hugely successful Fan Tokens with our partner Socios, and the first to tie-up with SoRare. As the Club of the next generation, we are pleased to take the next move into this exciting NFT, Blockchain technology driven space.”

For their NFT endeavour they have teamed up with Parisian artist Ludo to release a set of collectibles on OpenSea.

Source: OpenSea

Here are the main facts:

  • There are 5 variants of Lucky Buddy figures created by the Ludo, available in an edition of 11 pieces, one for every player on the pitch
  • Approx. 55% of the proceeds will go towards supporting the Paris Saint-Germain Endowment Fund
  • Buyers of the unique, 1-of-1 Lucky Buddy Third Kit, Fourth Kit, and Gold editions will also get a package of Paris Saint-Germain merchandise

The outcome: Currently 8 items have been traded for 6.1 ETH (around €14.3k) in total, with an average of 0.76 ETH / €1.8k per item and some of the unique ones still available. Not a bad start and it shows that going the "artsy" way can be a good alternative to the standard player cards.

Source: PSG

🏀 Golden State Warriors launch legacy NFT collection

This was probably our favourite NFT news of the week! The team from San Francisco, known for its leading role in tech & innovation, has put out their NFT collection, claiming to be the the first professional sports team to do so. They call it the "legacy collection", already hinting that it's a journey into the franchise's past. This is what it looks like:

Source: gswnft.com

So what do you need to know about it?

  • The collection features the Warriors’ six NBA Championship Rings. The first edition of each NFT includes a physical version as well. And there is a special 1-of-1 ring NFT combining all six championships, the only one available in the world
  • To celebrate 10 of the most historic games there are 10 Commemorative Ticket Stub NFTs, created by artist Black Madre, plus a unique “Golden Ticket NFT” which combines 75 years of historic moments. The highest bidder also receives a “Warrior for a Day” experience which includes a mock “one-day contract”, courtside tickets for two, a “Honorary Captain” experience, etc.
  • If someone completes all six rings they unlock an exclusive Warriors Championship Banner NFT, holding all 10 ticket stubs unlocks an exclusive Warriors Historic Moment NFT Showcase

Golden State Warriors President and Chief Operating Officer, Brandon Schneider:

We're kind of ground zero in terms of all the new technology that's out there. So that just influences the mindset of everyone that works for the Warriors. And we also hold ourself to a higher standard, understanding, the same I just said for us is also true for our fans

And it seems like they hit the right spot: With two days left in the auction the 1-of-1 ring is already at 11 ETH / €25k and the 1-of-1 stub at 8 ETH / €18k. And there's probably lots of room left, as we know that auctions tend to take off at the very end. Well played Warriors!

Source: Yahoo!Finance

👾 Rapinoe, Bird, Keen, Eichel, Jacheol, etc. get involved

Readers of our previous issues shouldn't be surprised by the fact that we have again seen a range of new athlete-driven NFT drops. And all that despite the struggles we've seen in that field recently. So once again here's a quick overview of what we think are the most relevant ones:

  • South Korean soccer player Koo Jacheol launched a collection to remember his team's bronze medal at the 2012 Olympics. The auction already ended and only 4 out of the 240 NFTs changed owners, with the total amount spent being 1 ETH / €2.25k. That did definitely not go well.
  • NHL All-Star and captain of the Buffalo Sabres Jack Eichel released a collection of artwork that consists of 25 items and includes rare memorabilia / experiences for specified buyers. So far the minimum bids have not been reached yet, but the NFTs are up for sale until May 4. Outcome to be seen.
  • Skimboard world-champion Austin Keen released a video of him on a custom Dogecoin-inspired board and the NFT comes with the physical board and a ride with him. The proceeds will fund a rain catchment system in Haiti. The reserve price has been met and the auction is currently at 1 ETH / €2.25k.
Source: Twitter

We like to think that the mix of creativity and a good cause has been the success factor for Austin Keen. This was not just a drop to make a quick buck which seems to be appreciated.

And then there's one announcement that caught our interest: Soccer star Megan Rapinoe, WNBA veteran Sue Bird, No. 1 WNBA Draft pick Charli Collier and a group of other elite female athletes will each release a limited one-of-one digital collectible card on May 10. Los Angeles-based artist Lauren Nipper will design each of the collectibles.

Megan Rapinoe commented:

“Women and people in women’s sports have continued to show leadership and the power of the collective voice to drive change. The NFT landscape is an opportunity to provide space for true ownership, crypto participation and authentic creativity in a way that hasn’t been done before.”

We're curious to see how that one goes, as each of the involved athletes have a big and strong following. So far we have not read anything about a good cause being involved in this initiative, something which would actually surprise us. Maybe more about this in the next issue.

🎨 Creativity scores

The one learning out of this issue is that creativity seems to be rewarded in the NFT world. Here's how we come to that conclusion:

  • Even though the auction is still ongoing it's obvious that the Golden State Warriors' NFT debut is a very successful one. Why? Because they tried to meet their fans' expectations, asking themselves what would be perceived as valuable. Involving the franchises history and creating truly special items and experiences was the right way to go for them, and maybe will be for others as well
  • Paris Saint-Germain's Lucky Buddy collection might not sell for much, but we appreciate that they tried to go a less usual way, by involving a local artist and giving it a special touch. There is of course room for improvement, but we like their experiment
  • And then there's Austin Keen who has our sympathies for the good cause he's supporting (and not putting his financial interests first) and the cool Dogeboard he created. The reserve price has been met, let's see how the auction ends. Seems like he had good advisors with Marc Cubans @NFT

We wonder if and how this will influence upcoming launches, maybe the Warriors even created a blueprint here?

As always: Feel free to reach out for feedback and to discuss all things NFT and sports! And to stay up to date: Make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter for stats, drop announcements and more.