Last updated on June 19th, 2023 at 08:33 am
Premier League giants Manchester United finally launches their first NFTs and Web3 community on the Tezos blockchain. Back in February, it was announced that the blockchain giants will be helping Manchester United build an ecosystem based on concepts from the Metaverse.
On Manchester United’s official website, it announced that the first digital collectibles will be gifted to fans by the Tezos-powered platform. Fans and supporters worldwide have been invited to join the new Web3 community which is powered by their official blockchain partner.
Subsequently, additional digital collectibles will be sold at a later date. 20% of the money realized from selling the extra Non-fungible tokens will be donated to the Manchester United Foundation.
The new Web3 community is designed to educate, unite, and also reward its global and loyal fan base through both digital and real-world experiences. The world is going digital, and what better way for the soccer giants to join the bandwagon than to partner with one of the world’s most advanced and sustainable blockchain companies Tezos?
What are these Digital Collectibles?
Manchester United’s communication department went on to explain in their press release that digital collectibles are a set of digital assets popularly referred to as NFTs. Easy-to-follow tutorials will be made available that features the club’s men’s and women’s football team and they will be shared on the club’s official channels.
These tutorials are part of a larger collection of educational materials that aims to help fans understand the concept of Web3 and also how NFTs can benefit home fans and international fans alike.
As we already know, Web3 is the next generation of the Internet, and it is built on blockchain technology. This new technology enables creators, publishers, and users to take ownership of their content and assets across the web.
Similarly, the new development by the club is going to improve engagement between fans and the club. Man Utd CEO of Digital Products and Experiences, Phil Lynch, said:
“Having watched the Web3 space closely and consulted with fans for their views on how this unique virtual world should operate, we’ve worked with the Tezos ecosystem teams to apply these learnings and believe that the launch of Manchester United digital collectibles is different to others, providing the option of unique and enhanced engagement opportunities to our incredible fans.”
Opportunities For Fans in Web3
Following the partnership of Tezos blockchain and Manchester United, opportunities for fans holding these NFTs are huge.
- Fans and supporters worldwide who claim the NFTs issued by Tezos will have a piece in Manchester United history, being among the first to join the journey into Web3.
- There are also plans for the gifted and purchasable NFTs to be released throughout the Premier League season. Also, fans who get involved now will have the opportunity and take a chance to gain the advantage of the club’s future Web3 projects.
- Furthermore, supporters will be able to join the club’s new virtual world through Man Utd’s official Discord channel (an instant messaging social platform that allows communities to come together around their favorite topics).
- Fans who join this community will be able to engage with the club, players, legends, and also thousands of other like-minded fans worldwide.
- Fans who register their interest via the official collectible website will be the first to receive invitations and also information on how to join the official Discord community.
- Those who claim the digital collectibles offered by Tezos will be able to unlock access to communities on Discord. In these communities, they can submit their creative ideas for future digital collections and also share matchdays in the new virtual community.
Chief Commercial Officer of Tezos Foundation Mason Edwards said:
“Football means so much to so many people and Manchester United, not to mention its fans, are the titans in the sport. It is an honor to be part of the club’s first step into Web3 through the creation of digital collectibles, which the club and its followers will cherish for years to come.”
“It takes an appreciation of football and the club’s history, but also a blockchain that’s powerful, decentralized, resilient, and scalable to do it. That’s Tezos.”
Manchester United Future Plans
As earlier stated, the club has plans to drop subsequent digital collectibles for sale later in the season via the digital platform on Tezos blockchain. These subsequent collections will feature different designs inspired by the club’s history.
The first of these subsequent drops will be sold at £30 with 20% of the proceeds donated to the Manchester United Foundation.
Manchester United’s CEO of Digital Products and Experiences, Phil Lynch also said:
“Much like the football traditions of old, such as collecting match programs, 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.”
