DraftKings Marketplace to Drop First NFT Collectibles Today

DraftKings is launching its first NFT collectibles today to get in on the digital sports paraphernalia craze, and this first first features mega-NFL superstar Tom Brady.

Changing the Rules of Fan Engagement 

DraftKings is going to drop its first NFT (non-fungible token) collectibles developed in partnership with Tom Brady’s Autograph.io today. The sports betting company announced in July that, as part of DraftKings’ NFT marketplace, it was teaming up with various sports personalities and athletes to launch a series of digital collectibles that serve as a deed of ownership. 

DraftKings’ ambitious entry into the NFT space reflects the company’s greater commitment to be a technological, as well as a sports gambling, leader. The partnership with the NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback is a great step forward.

Brady launched Autograph.io, his own dedicated NFT company, in April. The name is a hint that digital collectibles have a greater value if they have been signed by prominent figures. Essentially, Brady is taking what fans have always wanted – securing an autograph by their favorite athletes – and making it more accessible on the whole.

His company has already been making strong inroads in the sector all on its own; the present partnership with DraftKings is another leap forward. The collectibles that DraftKings is dropping today are going to be available on both Autograph.io and DraftKings Marketplace. 

They will be valued between $12 and $100 each for the non-autographed ones, but they will soar to $250 and $1,500 for autographed pieces. Moreover, anyone who buys an early NFT will have a chance to get early access to the next set of paraphernalia. 

Bringing the World’s Top Athletes to NFT Environment 

There will be another drop later this week, arriving on August 13, details about which are forthcoming. While Tom Brandy is the first celebrity to brand DraftKings Marketplace collectibles, he is hardly going to be the last. DraftKings has already lined up a number of sports stars who are coming to join the company’s NFT push. Among those listed are NHL’s Wayne Gretzky, PGA Tour legend Tiger Woods, skateboarding pioneer Tony Hawk, tennis professional Naomi Osaka, and others. 

The NFT market has been surging, with the market reaching some $2.5 billion in transactional value in H1 2012. In the meantime, NBA Top Shot has been one of the leading companies, generating income through the sale of NFTs. Developed by DappRadar, the company is licensed by the NBA to sell “highlights” and “fan-favorite moments” to people who are interested in claiming digital ownership of the video assets. Meanwhile, DraftKings has vowed that its marketplace project will steer clear of any eco-unfriendly practices. Therefore, the company is using a layer-2 Polygon solution that is expected to minimize gas fees and network congestion.

DraftKings will keep all assets in its own controlled environment for a while, but consumers can expect the assets to become accessible to the Ethereum mainnet. Once this is possible, NFT owners will be able to withdraw their assets and circulate them as they please.