Manchester United, one of the most successful teams in the history of English soccer, has just released its very first official non-fungible token (NFT) collection. The first drop of digital collectibles is being offered to supporters without charge.
The Premier League organization has stated that one of its goals is to establish a Web 3.0 community that will “inform, reward, and connect” it’s global following by utilizing both online and offline activities.
The club describes NFTs as a new form of digital memorabilia and an opportunity for supporters to ‘own’ a part of the club’s history, while also earning prizes that are related to ownership of their token. NFTs are available to supporters in the form of rewards tied to ownership of their tokens.
The official training gear partner, Tezos, is responsible for the development of the blockchain technology on which the digital collectibles are built. Later on, in the current season, more collections that are inspired by the club’s history will be made available for purchase. The club has pledged that twenty percent of all profits will be given to the charitable organization known as the Manchester United Foundation.
Those patrons who have contributed enough to obtain a free NFT will be invited to take part in the community on Discord and have the opportunity to have an impact on the design of future drops.
“Fans will soon have the additional option to collect this new type of digital memorabilia,” said Phil Lynch, chief executive of digital products and experiences at Manchester United. “Much like the football traditions of old, such as collecting match programs, club badges, and sticker books, fans will soon have the opportunity to collect this new type of digital memorabilia.”
“Having watched the Web 3.0 space closely and consulted with fans for their views on how this one-of-a-kind virtual world should operate, we’ve worked with the Tezos ecosystem teams to apply these learnings and believe that the launch of Manchester United digital collectibles is different from others, providing the option of unique and enhanced engagement opportunities to our incredible fans.”
“It is an honor to be a part of the club’s first step into Web 3.0 through the creation of digital collectibles which the club and its followers will cherish for years to come,” added Mason Edwards, chief commercial officer at the Tezos Foundation.
“Not only does one need a deep understanding of football and the history of the club, but one also needs a blockchain that is robust, distributed, scalable, and decentralized. That would be Tezos.”
According to SportsPro…
It looked like it was just a matter of time until a club with Manchester United’s level of commercial ambition and worldwide fans became involved in NFTs. Because Phil Lynch has described the club as a “quick follower,” its management would have researched the best practices, achievements, and setbacks of others working in the field.
This will include Liverpool, one of their greatest rivals, who have also emphasized the need to appeal to a worldwide following and develop new experiences for its followers who were born and raised in the digital age.
The close involvement of Tezos will undoubtedly have been invaluable in United’s case, while the club has pre-empted many of the criticisms that will invariably come their way by highlighting the utility and community of its NFTs. Club has pre-empted many of the criticisms that will invariably come their way Club has pre-empted many of the criticisms that will in In addition to this, it has pledged to provide a variety of educational materials, such as how-to guides presented by members of both the men’s and women’s teams.
However, it is highly unlikely that these measures will convince critics who believe that such NFTs are exploitative and speculative items that offer very little value to fans or leave them out of pocket. This is especially true at a time when the cryptocurrency market is struggling.
These collectibles, much like the majority of United’s commercial activity, are obviously geared toward international fans, many of whom will never even set foot inside Old Trafford. Even in more peaceful times, it would be difficult to sell these to season ticket holders in the Stretford End; however, it would be even more difficult to do so when they are wearing green and gold scarves and calling for the “Glazers out.”
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