The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has announced the launch of the ‘Strike’ non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace in collaboration with blockchain technologies company Dapper Labs.
The financial details of the partnership have not been disclosed, but Sportico reports that profits from the NFTs will be split equally between the UFC and athletes. Priced at US$50 each, the UFC’s NFTs will feature iconic moments and highlights. The mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion has confirmed the digital collectibles will feature some its biggest stars, including Francis Ngannou, Amanda Nunes, Kamaru Usman, Rose Namajunas, Derrick Lewis and Justin Gaethije. The first drop will consist of 200,000 total NFT packs, each containing three highlights, with the first 100,000 made available from 23rd January following the UFC 270 pay-per-view event. Striker Marketplace users will be able to buy and sell their NFTs through the new platform. These ‘Fully Loaded’ packs will feature action images from numerous camera angles, fight commentaries and crowd responses. The additional content, made available because of the UFC’s in-house production unit, mark a first for Dapper Labs in terms of utilising these extra aspects in NFT products. UFC’s Manscaped sponsorship goes global in expanded deal .The UFC will reveal more drops in the coming months, with new collections being released to correspond with the promotion’s event calendar.
“Dapper Labs is an innovator in this field, creating an industry that didn’t exist a few years ago,” said Tracey Bleczinski, senior vice president of global consumer products at the UFC. “Their vision for the potential of these products is the reason UFC chose Dapper Labs as its first NFT partner. We’re thrilled to finally be able to offer these amazing digital collectibles to enrich the UFC experience for our fans.” Caty Tedman, head of partnerships at Dapper Labs, added: “Dapper Labs has accelerated the move to Web3 by building new apps and platforms that enable great user experiences for millions of fans.
“Partnering with UFC, one of the fastest growing sports in the world, with a global fan base of more than 625 million people, is the next step to bringing even more into experiencing the benefits of decentralization while also delivering a meaningful experience for die-hard UFC fans to collect and own the moments that matter to them.”
Alex Mamutin, Branded Book & NFT Book owner, is a huge sports fanatic and heavily involved in this exciting new Metaverse industry. He is ecstatic about this news as he saw the advertising and announcements all over the championship matches while watching with family and friends. Sportswear brand New Balance looks set to enter the market for sneaker-based non-fungible tokens (NFTs), joining rivals who have already made forays into the metaverse. The company appears to have filed three trademark applications in the US that mention ‘downloadable virtual goods’, ‘retail store services featuring virtual merchandise’, and ‘entertainment services’ that relate to footwear and other sporting equipment. These trademarks would help protect New Balance’s intellectual property (IP) in the digital world should it proceed with any plans for the metaverse. Such a move is speculative as the company has yet to confirm that it has either filed the trademarks or if it has a strategy in place. Nike acquires virtual sneaker creator RTFKT to continue metaverse push There are many similarities between the real-world sneaker market and NFTs. Both rely on limited edition ‘drops’, rare items that can sell for significant amounts of money, and there is a vast number of collectors want to acquire items either for prestige or in the hope their value will increase.
Meanwhile, the virtual environments that comprise the metaverse are seen as a valuable tool of engagement and revenue opportunity for companies in all industries. Sportswear manufacturers can use their brand and design expertise to create NFTs and other digital items that can be used and traded across various metaverse spaces. Nike has acquired virtual sneaker and collectible creator RTKFT to aid its NFT efforts, while it also recently launched a digital space in the Roblox online game platform. The virtual ‘Nikeland’ includes the backdrop of the company’s headquarters and arenas where players can compete in various mini-games. Adidas has also dabbled in NFTs, partnering with Prada and the Bored Ape Yacht Club.
Published by Alex Mamutin
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