The NFLPA and DraftKings Unveil Plans for Gamified NFT Collaboration
Will Incorporate NFT-Based Games Featuring NFL Players
BOSTON and WASHINGTON, Dec. 07, 2021 -- The NFL Players Association (NFLPA), DraftKings Inc. (Nasdaq: DKNG) and OneTeam Partners (OneTeam), the group licensing partner of the NFLPA, today revealed plans to launch gamified NFT (non-fungible token) collections that will debut on DraftKings Marketplace during the 2022-2023 NFL season. The agreement grants DraftKings licensing rights for active NFL players, including the authentic use of name, image and likeness. This marks the debut integration of gamified NFTs by one of the world’s preeminent athlete unions and a leader in sports technology and entertainment.
“The future of fandom is unfolding in front of us, and few organizations beyond DraftKings are as equipped to capitalize on the increasing intersection between sports and NFTs that will be cornerstones of engagement and entertainment within Web3,” said Beth Beiriger, SVP of product operations for DraftKings Marketplace. “We will continuously adapt, innovate and seek progressive collaborators like the NFLPA and OneTeam to reach early adopters among fanbases and ultimately introduce these next-generation products to the masses.”
Initial anticipated features of DraftKings’ gamified NFL player NFTs include the ability for customers to use these collectibles within games against others on the platform as well as separate buying and selling functionality. It is expected there will be a variety of NFT editions and tiers that incorporate different aspects of utility and digital scarcity, all powered by Polygon. DraftKings previously announced a strategic agreement with Polygon to provide a scalable, eco-friendly blockchain solution that enables added throughput, lower transaction fees and expanded capabilities.
“The NFLPA strives to be at the forefront of innovative new products, and the emerging landscape of digital entertainment that creates excitement among players and fans. We look forward to integrating NFL players into DraftKings’ NFT experience to create authentic connections for avid fans,” said Sean C. Sansiveri, General Counsel and Head of Business Affairs at NFL Players Inc., the marketing and licensing arm of the NFLPA.
OneTeam, which is leading the NFLPA’s digital media business, facilitated the new deal in collaboration with all parties.
This eventual NFL player NFT integration will coincide with DraftKings’ existing NFL designations that include being an Official Daily Fantasy and Sports Betting Partner of the league. While fans await these upcoming NFT offerings for next season, NFL sports betting and daily fantasy products are available today on DraftKings via the web along with apps available on iOS and Android.
About DraftKings
DraftKings Inc. is a digital sports entertainment and gaming company created to fuel the competitive spirit of sports fans with products that range across daily fantasy, regulated gaming and digital media. Headquartered in Boston, and launched in 2012 by Jason Robins, Matt Kalish and Paul Liberman, DraftKings is the only U.S.-based vertically integrated sports betting operator. DraftKings is a multi-channel provider of sports betting and gaming technologies, powering sports and gaming entertainment for operators in 17 countries. DraftKings’ Sportsbook is live with mobile and/or retail betting operations in the United States pursuant to regulations in Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. DraftKings’ daily fantasy sports product is available in 6 countries internationally with 15 distinct sports categories. DraftKings is both an official daily fantasy and sports betting partner of the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, PGA TOUR and UFC as well as an official daily fantasy partner of NASCAR. Launched in August 2021, DraftKings Marketplace is a digital collectibles ecosystem designed for mainstream accessibility that offers curated NFT drops and supports secondary-market transactions. DraftKings also owns Vegas Sports Information Network, Inc. (VSiN), a multi-platform broadcast and content company.
About the NFL Players Association
The National Football League Players Association (“NFLPA”) is the union for professional football players in the National Football League. Established in 1956, the NFLPA has a long history of assuring proper recognition and representation of players’ interests. The NFLPA has shown that it will do whatever is necessary to assure that the rights of players are protected—including ceasing to be a union, if necessary, as it did in 1989. In 1993, the NFLPA again was officially recognized as the union representing the players and negotiated a landmark Collective Bargaining Agreement (“CBA”) with the NFL. The current CBA will govern the sport through the 2030 NFL season.
About NFL Players Inc.
NFL Players Inc., the licensing and marketing arm of the NFLPA, connects businesses to the power of NFL players. NFL Players Inc. creates customized business solutions for partners, through licensing, marketing strategy and player activations. For more information, please visit nflpa.com/players.
About OneTeam Partners
Formed in November 2019, OneTeam Partners is a joint venture between the NFL Players Association (NFLPA), MLB Players Association (MLBPA) and RedBird Capital Partners. OneTeam helps athletes maximize the value of their name, image and likeness rights by transforming the way in which athletes interact with businesses across four verticals: licensing, marketing, content and investing. OneTeam represents a range of commercial business interests on behalf of the NFLPA, MLBPA, Major League Soccer PA, U.S. Women’s National Team PA, WNBPA, and U.S. Rugby PA.
DraftKings Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements made in this release are “forward looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words “estimates,” “projected,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “forecasts,” “plans,” “intends,” “believes,” “seeks,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “future,” “propose” and variations of these words or similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside DraftKings’ control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. For a discussion of additional risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see DraftKings’ Securities and Exchange Commission filings. DraftKings does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
Media Contacts
media@draftkings.com / @DraftKingsNews
For NFLPA George.atallah@nflpa.com
For OneTeam david@mvppr.com
