The Chicago Cubs want to bring Wrigley Field into Web3.
According to a recent Forbes report, the Chicago Cubs are working with the Web3 company Valence to explore NFT and metaverse business opportunities. Valence executives say they will use Web3 to create more immersive experiences for Cubs fans.
There aren’t any specifics on how the Cubs will use Web3, but Valence says it may offer loyalty tokens that might be used for seat discounts, souvenir baseballs, and IRL meetups with athletes. Cubs fans may also be able to use augmented reality while at Wrigley Field to enhance their game-day experience.
Valence suggested it will offer customers a fast and simple way to mint, trade, and collect Cubs NFTs. The Web3 startup is also working on a secure NFT wallet and a virtual gallery where Cubs fans can admire their digital collectibles. Collectors might even be able to show off their favorite NFTs on Wrigley Field’s jumbotron in the future.
But before Chicago Cubs fans get too excited, Valence says it’s still awaiting approval from the MLB.
Earlier this year, the Chicago Cubs’ chairman Tom Ricketts invested heavily in Valence. Forbes writers claim Valence is an Ethereum-based project that uses a layer 2 solution called “AliceNet.”
The MLB is Making Big Moves in the Metaverse
Frequent readers of Rarity Sniper News may recall the MLB mentioned that the Cubs were talking about jumping into Web3. However, at that time, the MLB was more interested in promoting a historic metaverse project: Digital Truist Park.
With the help of Fortnite’s Epic Games, the Atlanta Braves designed a replica of Truist Park in the metaverse. In mid-May, the Braves welcomed select fans to explore this first-ever digital MLB stadium with their in-game avatars. The Braves and the MLB have plans to offer more immersive experiences at Digital Truist Park soon.
And that’s not all the MLB has been up to in the Web3 space. Most notably, the MLB is working on an interactive NFT-based game with the company Sorare. Set to launch in the summer, this new title will let players build their ideal fantasy baseball team using NFT trading cards.
Sorare already has a successful NFT fantasy soccer tournament built on Ethereum. Like its popular soccer title, people who play the MLB Sorare game could win rare digital collectibles if the athletes on their NFTs do well in actual games.
For those not interested in fantasy sports, the MLB offers plenty of collectible NFTs on Candy Digital. As Rarity Sniper recently reported, there will be multiple “MLB ICON Leadoff NFT” drops throughout June. The pro baseball league also continues to mint “Play of the Day” NFTs, which feature short videos from MLB history.
Now that the Braves and Cubs are getting involved in Web3, MLB fans will have even more opportunities to connect with their favorite teams.