Visa is joining forces with Crypto.com to create and promote a series of NFTs inspired by the upcoming World Cup tournament, the company announced Tuesday (Nov. 1).
The project, dubbed Visa Masters of Movement, is the latest example of sports leagues using NFTs (non-fungible tokens) as a tactic to grow their fan base across digital and physical spaces.
In this case, Visa is launching what it calls a “first-of its-kind hybrid experience featuring a pre-event NFT auction and immersive activation for fans” ahead of the FIFA World Cup, which begins later this month in Qatar.
According to a news release, the auction features digital art inspired by “iconic goals” from five of the sport’s legends that have been turned into NFTs on Crypto.com.
“Later this month, the experience will come to life on an interactive pitch at the FIFA Fan Festival in Doha, Qatar, and allow fans to create digital art inspired by their own signature movements,” the release said, adding that fans will have the chance to turn this art into NFTs of their own.
See also: NHL Aims for International Subscribers With Refreshed Subscription Plan
As PYMNTS noted recently, a number of sporting leagues have begun embracing the digital world to connect with a wider audience. For example, the U.K.’s Liverpool Football Club (Liverpool FC) has delved into the world of NFTs in collaboration with French digital collectibles company Sorare. The two companies have been partnering on “multimedia fan content” in an effort to enable the team to “engage new fans across the globe.”
And in July, Major League Baseball announced it would produce a show over T-Mobile’s 5G network, allowing baseball fans to watch players during batting practice during the T-Mobile Home Run Derby, leveraging pre-game content to create additional engagement opportunities, among other such events.
Meanwhile in Chicago, the United Center, home of the city’s NBA Bulls team and NHL Blackhawks team, launched a series of augmented reality (AR) experiences last year such as taking photos with digital versions of the players, a feature which the teams are also embedding in their mobile apps to increase usage.
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