The National Football League (NFL) and the National Football League Players Association are partnering with Dapper Labs to launch a non-fungible token (NFT) collection. The NFT collections will be made up of exclusive digital video highlights for NFL fans.
In a statement, the parties claimed NFTs would increase fan engagement and improve the fan experience. Joe Ruggiero, Senior Vice President of consumer products at the NFL said, “We believe blockchain technology has great potential to enhance the NFL fan experience in the future and we are excited to have Dapper Labs as one of our first collaborators in exploring this emerging space.”
The digital collectibles will allow the NFL fans the unique opportunity to own some of the most captivating NFL moments. It would include the week-to-week gaming moments from leading players involving both current and legends in the game.
By working with Dapper Labs, the NFL is giving itself the best opportunity to create high-quality NFTs. With over 300 million fans, the NFL will increase fan engagement and introduce a new way through which fans can feel like part of the game.
With the ability to own part of the game through NFTs, fans will become more immersed in the sport. They can choose any moment they would wish to own, showcase their heroes, and even trade some of these moments with other fans. The fans will also be in a position to buy, sell or trade their moments.
NFL players will also gain from the launch of the NFT collection. The NFTs give an additional incentive to push for more memorable moments. With more players looking to be the fans favourite, they will be willing to give extra effort for the fan’s pleasure. This will in turn improve the quality of the game and fan engagement.
The NFTs line will launch later in the season.
How popular are NFTs in sports?
At the start, it felt as though NFTs would only revolutionise virtual gaming through play-to-earn and other in-game purchases and trading. It however seems NFTs are now the future of art and sports.
In launching the NFT line, the NFL is not the first big sports name joining the NFT space. Earlier the NBA had partnered with Dapper Labs to launch a series of in-game NFTs. The UFC also has its set of NFT collectibles.
Other than the teams, individual sports personalities have also been launching their own NFT collections. Boxing icon Floyd Mayweather and basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal are some of the sports personalities to have launched an NFT collection.
NFTs will become more integral in sports as they not only provide a way for increased fan engagement but also as a source of additional revenue.