Manchester United in partnership with Tezos has announced the upcoming launch of its first-ever digital collectibles. The initial drop of digital collectibles (NFTs) will be gifted to fans, with paid collections coming at a later date.
Tezos is an open-source blockchain that can execute peer-to-peer transactions and serve as a platform for deploying smart contracts.
Manchester United Football Club (MUFC) is a giant of European soccer, and among the most successful sports teams in the world, with over 60 major trophies won, and more than one billion fans all over the planet.
The history of MUFC goes back more than 140 years, but today the club took a major step into the future with the announcement of the upcoming launch of its first-ever digital collectibles, powered by Tezos. The initial drop of digital collectibles (NFTs) will be gifted to fans, with paid collections coming at a later date.
Phil Lynch, CEO of Digital Products and Experiences, MUFC said, “Much like the football traditions of old, such as collecting match programmes, club badges and sticker books, fans will soon have the additional option to collect this new type of digital memorabilia. The first digital collectible is being gifted to fans by a Tezos-powered platform, and with the support of Tezos Foundation we will join fans on their journey into this new world, with the club providing education and guidance along the way.”
Fans who are interested in learning more about Manchester United’s first-ever NFT drop are invited to sign up to the Club’s new Discord channel, via manutd.com/collectibles.
According to the Club, ‘fans who claim a digital collectible from the Tezos platform will be able to unlock access to communities on Discord, where they can submit creative ideas for future digital collectibles and share matchdays together in the new, fan-led, virtual community’.
After the initial drop of free digital collectibles, paid collectibles will be announced ‘later in the season’, the first of which will cost £30, with 20% of the proceeds going to the Manchester United Foundation. These collections ‘will each feature a different design, all taking inspiration from the Club’s history, with some unlocking further fan experiences’.
Manchester United Football Club announced its partnership with Tezos back in February. Since then, the Tezos logo has become a familiar sight on the training kit of both the men’s and women’s teams.