The global sports leagues and teams seek to attract young people and improve their engagement with fans. They also look for new ways to interact and reach new audiences.
Major League BaseballThe league is no different. On Thursday, they announced a partnership to Sorare, an NFT gaming firm, in order to launch a fantasy-based NFT-based game.
Sorare will become an official NFT partnership of MLB. This will allow fans to play fantasy games as well as purchase, sell and collect NFTs from MLB players. It won’t be like other fantasy games because it isn’t a draft-style game. Each fan will have his or her own NFT cards, which will be used to create teams.
Rob Manfred, MLB commissioner, stated that the connections built with fans are crucial and Sorare recognizes the importance of those bonds. “The company’s unique focus on fandom transformation through innovative combinations of technology, sports and gaming to allow fans to truly own a piece the game they love is unmatched. This allows us to share the love of baseball with more people around the world.
Sorare has created the final details for the prizes, awards, and games. similar games for soccer leaguesMajor League Soccer, Copa America, Bundesliga and Copa America that offered fans a range of prizes for collecting NFTs. Fans won NFT cards in one instance. unlocked tickets to a game.
Professional athletes have sold and owned their cards in Sorare’s marketplace during past developments. This gives fans a unique opportunity to collect and engage with the cards.
Sorare’s platform has 1.7 million registered users from 184 countries. This was part of MLB’s appeal. This opens up the possibility of connecting with an audience that baseball hasn’t been able reach in the past.
The average attendance at MLB has declined annually since 2007, when it had 79.4million fans, and dropped to 68.5 million in 2019. COVID-19’s impact on attendance has occurred since 2020. Therefore, those numbers would not be included in any data.
Sorare has seen an increase of 32% in active user growth month-on–month. It also generated more than $325million in sales in 2021, with the expectation of doubling it in 2019. Partnerships with 247 clubs have been a key part of Sorare’s success. Now, the company will expand its reach by adding MLB players.
Tony Clark, executive director, Major League Baseball Players Association, stated that Sorare has created a new experience in baseball gaming. This will be a great way for fans to collect Players’ NFTs, build winning lineups, and compete against other baseball fans around the world. “We are extremely excited about our partnership. We also see the positive impact Sorare’s first foray in North American sports on the growth and development of our game worldwide.