It’s not quite the holiday season, but Manchester United has a gift for fans: non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
The English club is preparing to give fans its first official digital collectible via Tezos — its official blockchain partner. To unlock the free reward, fans must register on United’s official website. Doing so will also give fans other perks and benefits, such as exclusive discounts, sneak peeks, and early access to future drops.
After the first free NFT drop, Manchester United will release other digital collectibles for purchase throughout the season. Each digital asset will feature different designs related to the club’s historic past. The next drop will cost approximately $30 with 20% of proceeds going to the Manchester United Foundation.
Manchester United’s CEO of Digital Products and Experiences Phil Lynch sees NFTs as the next progression of fan collectibles. Whereas in the past fans would collect game day memorabilia, sports programs, and sticker books, now they have digital collectibles powered by the blockchain. That’s not all though.
Manchester United is preparing other special experiences for fans. Holder of its NFTs will be able to join the club’s new “virtual world” on Discord where they will be able to interact with the club, players, legends, and other fans. They will also gain the opportunity to submit creative ideas for future digital collectibles.
Soccer’s Biggest Names Are Entering Web3
Manchester United’s not the only soccer-related brand developing a Web3 gameplan. Some of the sport’s biggest names have also gone on the offense: Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Neymar, FIFA, and many others.
Here are the top moves we’ve seen in November 2022.
First, Cristiano Ronaldo launched his NFT collection with Binance. The debut CR7 collection features different moments from the Portuguese star’s illustrious career grouped into four rarity tiers: Super Super Rare (SSR), Super Rare (SR), Rare (R) and Normal (N).
Next, Neymar Jr. held an NFT mint party. The Brazilian superstar celebrated the launch of his Beastmode NFT collection with a live party on Facebook and Twitter. During the live event, Neymar Jr. connected with fans to share his Web3 journey and the inspiration for the Beastmode metaverse.
Lastly, Lionel Messi invested in NFT sports game Sorare. As part of the deal, Messi became a brand ambassador in exchange for an undisclosed amount of equity. He will help the company create new content and experiences for fans around the world.
If there’s one thing we can conclude from all these high-profile moves, it’s that soccer’s goal right now is to enter the decentralized ‘net.