ESPN, the US-based cable television sports broadcasting network, is partnering with Tom Brady’s Autograph non-fungible token (NFT) platform. The partnership is expected to last at least a few years and will kick-start a collection based on a Tom Brady documentary series about the career of the National Football League (NFL) quarterback, produced by Brady’s own Religion of Sports media company and co-produced with ESPN. The “Man in the Arena: Tom Brady Collection” will be available on the Autograph platform and for sale on the DraftKings Digital Marketplace.
According to a press release, the collection will consist of three different designs based on the footballer’s performance. A second collection, ‘Back in the Arena’, which focuses on his career development, will debut after the 10th installment in the series. Tom Brady will digitally sign 50 of the NFTs.
This will be ESPN’s first NFT partnership. Tom Brady’s association with Autograph and ESPN’s presence in sports media is likely to bolster the branding and marketing efforts of this and future collaborative projects.
“ESPN is excited to offer our first NFTs to meet our fans at the intersection of sports, technology and content,” said Kevin Lopes, ESPN’s vice president of sports business development & innovation, in the statement.
“This unique collection of Tom’s ‘Man in the Arena’ documentary series marks the beginning of our relationship with ESPN,” said Dillon Rosenblatt, co-founder and CEO of Autograph. “As the first NFT partner for ESPN, the possibilities in sports and technology are endless.”
Most of Autograph’s collections and projects are centered around individual athletes, providing NFTs with strong but limited content potential. On the other hand, the constant flow of sports-related material ESPN produces coupled with its audience reach is a huge opportunity for Autograph.