Whether your feelings for the NFL are love, hate, or indifference, you probably realize that the NFL is a marketing machine. Despite weathering significant controversies in the past several years, it continues to grow its viewership and generate hundreds of millions in annual revenue, much of which is from merchandising alone.
It’s no surprise that the NFL isn’t content to sit on the sidelines and is now muscling its way into the blockchain and cryptocurrency space, starting with NFTs.
The NFL and NFTs
This year’s Super Bowl isn’t the NFL’s first foray into the NFT world. In 2021, game attendees from November through the end of the year could claim a “virtual commemorative ticket” as an NFT.
“We first began offering virtual commemorative ticket NFTs to fans during the regular season. We witnessed great success with this one-of-a-kind fan experience, which provided the momentum to continue this program throughout the postseason and ultimately at Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles,” stated said Bobby Gallo, SVP, Club Business Development, NFL.
Leading up to this weekend’s Super Bowl game, the NFL also announced the release of seven historic commemorative NFTs, which are available for anyone to purchase.
With the visibility of the Super Bowl alongside a heavy tie-in advertising push from crypto companies, this could be the type of coming-of-age party that gives cryptocurrency and NFTs a jumbotron-sized boost into the mainstream.
Super Bowl LVI NFTs
Attendees of Super Bowl LVI will receive a souvenir NFT along with their ticket, as part of a partnership between the NFL and Ticketmaster. The NFT will be marked with the fan’s unique section, row, and seat, according to a press release accompanying the announcement.
Gallo went on to say, “Collecting ticket stubs has always been something our fans love to do, especially for the season’s biggest game, and offering customized Super Bowl NFTs allows us to enhance the gameday experience, while also enabling us to further evaluate the NFT space for future ticketing and event engagement opportunities.”
Future forward progress
At present, the NFL is issuing NFTs as a “digital keepsake.” Yet, it is quietly but seriously evaluating the space “for future ticketing and event engagement opportunities,” said Gallo.
As the NFL takes its first big steps into blockchain and NFTs, could the league one day offer its own NFL cryptocurrency?
Given the NFL’s strong brand, loyal fanbase, hundreds of millions in annual revenue from player jerseys alone, and dozens of point-of-sale stadiums, it doesn’t take a hard look downfield to envision the NFL launching its own line of crypto tokens in the coming years.
